Paedophile pensioner with 'appalling' record of downloading child porn jailed again after being spotted using Sandwell library computer
A 71-year-old Sandwell paedophile has been locked up after breaking the terms of his sexual harm prevention order by using a library computer to search for indecent images.
Robert Hicks, of Radnor Road, Oldbury, was banned from using all computers but was spotted in a Sandwell library using a computer in June.
When police raided his house he had hidden a laptop computer, crammed full of indecent images, under the mattress of his bed.
Hicks has been in and out of jail since 2003 for downloading images and repeatedly breaking sexual prevention orders including twice in 2022, in 2021 and 2018. He is banned from every library in England and Wales.
Hicks pleaded guilty at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court to breaking a sexual harm prevention order which he was subject to after 20 years of convictions concerning the most disgusting indecent images and videos of children.
He was sentenced at Wolverhampton Crown Court yesterday (Tuesday) and appeared via video link from HMP Birmingham where he was on remand.
Prosecuting, Mr Andrew Wilkins said: "It was imposed in October 2015 and included not being able to go on the internet and not owning a device
"Police became concerned when he was seen using a laptop at a library. Police attended his address and asked for any devices. He produced a mobile phone but not the laptop which was found under a mattress."
Hicks was also on bail at the time which included conditions of not being able to enter a public library in England and Wales.
In mitigation, the court heard Hicks pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and had been sexually abused as a child.
Justice Michael Chambers KC sentenced Hicks to 16 months imprisonment.
He said: "You are now 71-years-old. You have an exceptionally appalling record of downloading indecent images of children.
"You have numerous convictions going back to 2003 of downloading indecent images. You would have been told before your behaviour facilitates the real abuse of children by evil people who film and photograph them.
"You have done it yet again, you were seen using a laptop in a library. On June 20, 2025, police officers attended your address and asked to see your devices. You failed to show them a laptop which was hidden under a mattress, the inference you had been using this to download more indecent images."
He added: "There is no mitigation, no doubt you have used the fact you have been abused as a child many many times before, at some stage it holds no weight.
"You now find yourself in prison again aged 71. You will be sent back again after your release if you break the conditions of the sexual harm prevention order. You will find it harder and harder to serve prison sentences in your 70s so I suggest you desist with this behaviour."