AN ex-teacher and playground designer has finally admitted trying to abduct a five-year-old girl – after denying it at two previous trials.
Robert Edward Bill, 56, must stay on the sex offenders register for life after he told a court he was no longer in denial and now accepted he had a "problem" in his interest in young girls.
Bill, of St Asaph, was jailed for two-and-a-half years yesterday after he also admitted breaching his Sex Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) by viewing internet images of children while on bail.
In June 2007, Bill, of The Roe, "cruised" around the Strand estate in Holywell and tried to entice a five-year-old girl into his car. But by chance her father spotted the incident through a window.
At his trial in June 2008, the jury failed to reach a verdict, but Bill was convicted at a re-trial in March 2009. He was also found guilty of downloading child porn on his computer and indecently assaulting an eight-year-old girl.
Bill, a member of a Jehovah’s Witnesses congregation, appealed against his conviction, and the Court of Appeal ordered a second retrial on the attempted abduction charge.
That was due to take place this week in Warrington – outside North Wales because of the publicity over the previous hearings – but at the last minute he changed his plea to guilty. He also admitted breaching the SOPO in August.
Simon Medland, prosecuting, said that members of Bill’s family became suspicious and when they confronted him he admitted viewing videos of children on YouTube. Though they were not pornographic, it breached the order.
Bill, who at one time ran his own playground design company, then rang the police and told them: "I am sorry, I am so sorry. I’ve done something silly."
He told them he had watched videos of children aged nine - 11, adding: "I have got a problem."
Bill, who was released from prison in January this year, wiped tears from his eyes as defence barrister David Potter told the court he
deserved some credit for his change of plea, albeit at such a late stage.
"The sea-change in his manner and behaviour since August 10 has been revelatory," he said. "He is now crushed about acknowledging that he has a problem.
"He has been in denial virtually the whole of his adult life and now accepts he has a problem."
At Warrington Crown Court yesterday the Recorder of Chester, Judge Elgan Edwards, said that although Bill had served most of an earlier six-year sentence in prison, only a custodial sentence was appropriate now.
He was jailed for two years for the attempted abduction, and six months for breaching the SOPO.
Jailing him, the Recorder said it was particularly worrying that he had breached his SOPO while on bail and knowing that he was due to face a trial.
He said a letter written to him by Bill made "sad reading". The Recorder said it was a difficult sentencing exercise because Bill had already served much of his original six-year sentence. "The public may have some consolation that when you are released you will be monitored by North Wales
Police officers who will help you, and more importantly the children of North Wales will be protected," he added.
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/2010/09/22/north-wales-man-admits-trying-to-abduct-girl-5-55578-27318022/