Colchester man Robert West convicted of rape and sex abuse

Former builder Robert West, 67, has been found guilty of committing a range of sex offences which date from the 1980s until the early 2000s.

Two of his three victims were teenage girls at the time and they reported West to the police in 2020, with one claiming she had been repeatedly sexually abused.

West, of Whitehall Road, Colchester, denied rape, four offences of indecently assaulting a child and two offences of indecency with a child.

Guilty verdict - West was convicted of seven offences at Ipswich Crown Court

But a jury unanimously convicted him of all seven crimes at Ipswich Crown Court on Friday.

Judge Martyn Levett adjourned sentencing until Friday, June 30 so a pre-sentence report can be prepared.

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During the trial opening, prosecutor Edward Burge said West’s campaign of abuse took place over the course of three decades with his youngest victim aged seven or eight.

The jury was told earlier this month how the defendant assaulted another victim by “repeatedly touching” her when the two were alone in Colchester.

Historic - some of the offences took place in Colchester (Image: Newsquest)

West also raped one of his victims in the 1980s.

The victim then gave birth to a child while she was still a teenager and it was only then the abuse came to an end.

The court heard how the victim initially said a boy from school was the father, before DNA tests decades later found West was, in fact, the father.

During a previous hearing, Mr Burge said West also told another of his victims: “No-one would believe her if she told anyone about it and that it was their secret.”

Following West’s conviction, Judge Levett said: “I have to warn you that because of the nature of count two, which is an allegation of rape, and the fact there are three complainants who have complained of being abused, the sentence you are facing is a lengthy prison sentence.

“One of these offences involves penetration and therefore you become what is called an offender of concern bearing in mind the age of one of the persons concerned.”

West will return to the same court next month for sentencing.

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