Tyrell Robinson: Former footballer jailed for child sex offences

Tyrell Robinson has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years

(PA)

A former footballer has been jailed for having sex with a 14-year-old girl.

Ex-Bradford City player Tyrell Robinson, 23, also took a photograph of his friend, Korie Berman, in bed with two other underage girls, also aged 14.

Robinson, who was sacked by Bradford last year, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to engaging in sexual activity with a child.

He also pleaded guilty to making and distributing an indecent image of a child on the social media app Snapchat.

He was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison at Bradford Crown Court on Tuesday.

Berman, 22, pleaded guilty to five charges of engaging in sexual activity with a child and has been sentenced to six years in jail.

Bradford Crown Court heard Robinson knew all the girls were 14 and had spoken to Berman about this.

Sandra White, a senior crown prosecutor in Yorkshire and Humberside's Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Unit, said Robinson used his status to lure the girls in.

She said: "Robinson used his position of influence as a professional footballer to commit these offences against two young, impressionable and vulnerable girls.

"Text messages recovered as part of the investigation make it abundantly clear he was well aware of their ages when he committed these serious criminal acts."

Robinson and Berman met the three girls at Robinson's flat in Bradford in August 2008 where they were given alcohol, the court was told.

Gillian Batts, prosecuting, said Robinson had met the victims at a social event he had been warned by Bradford not to attend.

The court also heard how the club had given all its players safeguarding training about how to interact with young and vulnerable people.

That advice included not giving their contact details to people under the age of 18.

Robinson, from South Ockendon, Essex, admitted having sex with one of the girls in his bedroom after he and Berman met with them.

Berman, from Thurrock, Essex, also admitted having sex with two of the girls. The court heard how the victims had "little or no recollection" of the events and had been "violently ill" afterwards.

Both have been put on the sex offenders' register for life.

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