Fife 'urban hunter' jailed for raping two girls, sexually assaulting boy and abusing two women

An “urban hunter” who subjected three children to a series of sexual assaults over a four-year period has been jailed for seven years.

Brandon Robb, 28, attacked two girls and a young boy at locations in Fife between May 2011 and May 2015.

The High Court in Edinburgh also heard how Robb acted in a threatening and abusive manner to two women in incidents which took place between November 2019 and February 2023.

Robb, who has previous convictions for sexual offences, was brought to justice after his victims contacted police.

Jurors heard how Robb raped his first victim on an occasion in 2011 when she was just eight years old after leading her to a secluded area.

On various occasions between December 2012 and August 2014, Robb repeatedly raped the victim – a 12-year-old girl and subjected the child to a series of sexual assaults.

In May 2015, Robb sexually assaulted a 12-year-old boy in the town.

The court heard how his offending continued. In August 2020, he began abusing another woman, and he continued to do so until February 2023.

Robb repeatedly shouted and swore at the woman, seizing her by the neck and compressing her breathing, and repeatedly punching her on the body. He also head butted her.

Between November 2019 and May 31, 2020, he seized another woman on the body, sent her a threatening video, and attempted to contact her by phone and by social media.

Robb gave evidence in which he denied any wrongdoing but Judge Lord Lake remanded him in custody after jurors returned guilty verdicts on six charges.

Sentence was deferred for the court to obtain a report on whether Robb met the criteria for an order of lifelong restriction – an effective life sentence in which criminals are only released from custody once the parole board is satisfied they no longer pose a threat to public safety.

On Monday, Judge Lord Lake concluded that Robb didn’t meet the criteria needed to impose an OLR.

He decided to pass a seven-year custodial term and told Robb he’d be supervised by the authorities for seven years following his release from custody.

He added: “It is clear that your victims have suffered greatly.

“The effects on them have been long-lasting and have been experienced over many years.”

Robb previously posted pictures of himself and his dog hunting deer in the Scottish countryside on social media.

He was jailed in 2014 after admitting to using his pet dog to hunt and kill a rare piebald deer.

A court heard how he lived a “feral existence” and was an “urban hunter”.

He killed the piebald while awaiting sentencing for stealing 30 ducks from a farm in Fife.

Following the conviction, prosecutor Margaret Barron revealed that Robb had 21 previous convictions and had served time in prison.

The court heard that these convictions were for “analogous matters” and that he had been placed on the Sex Offenders Register following previous proceedings.

On Monday, defence advocate Richard Goddard KC told Lord Lake that his client had a “chaotic” childhood, and this affected him as he became an adult.

Mr Goddard added: “He had a lack of any kind of moral framework or any assistance with his upbringing.

“He did not have any kind of moral guidance at all.”

Lord Lake also placed Robb on the Sex Offenders Register for life.