Former Edinburgh youth worker, 72, jailed after abusing six schoolboys of 11-year period
An Edinburgh youth worker who sexually abused six schoolboys over an 11-year period has been jailed and placed on the sex offenders register for life.
Robert James Blanch lured the children, all aged between eight and 13-years-old, to his then-home at the capital’s Parkgrove area where he assaulted them between 1975 and 1986.
Blanch, now aged 72, tickled the boys, removed their clothing and touched their thighs, groins and penis.
The pensioner, who has since moved to Lerwick, Shetland, also placed his mouth on the penis of one boy and showed two youngsters a pornographic video of adults engaging in sexual activity.
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Blanch was working as a volunteer youth worker with an organisation attached to an Edinburgh school when he carried out the attacks on the children.
Blanch denied the accusations but was found guilty of five charges of using lewd, indecent or libidinous practices towards the six victims by a jury verdict following a trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last month.
He was remanded in custody by Sheriff Douglas Keir and returned to the dock for sentencing at the capital court today (March 20).
Solicitor Andrew Houston, defending, said Blanch had been jailed for similar offending in 1979 and currently suffers from a range of conditions including diabetes and high blood pressure.
In sentencing, Sheriff Keir said: “You have been found guilty of five charges of lewd, indecent and libidinous behaviour against six individual complainers.
“It is quite clear that your actions were planned and deliberate and your offending behaviour was grooming and predatory in nature.
“You abused your position of trust towards each of the complainers.”
The sheriff jailed Blanch for a total of 33 months backdated to his remand date last month and placed him on the sex offenders register for an indefinite period.
Blanch was found guilty of using lewd, indecent and libidinous practices and behaviour towards four children aged between eight and 13-years-old by tickling them, removing their clothing, touching their thighs, groin and penis and placing his mouth on the penis of one boy, all between July 26, 1975 and June 30, 1980.
He was also found guilty by the jury of using lewd, indecent and libidinous practices and behaviour towards two children aged between nine and 12-years-old by showing them a pornographic video of adults engaging in sexual activity on an occasion between July 3, 1983 and October 11, 1986.