In 2026, the Offender Database recorded that then 52-year-old Steven Robertson—of Murthly, Perthshire—was jailed for 14 years for the serial rape and sexual assault of vulnerable girls. The investigation established that between 1980 and 1995, Robertson targeted children under the age of five who had been placed in the foster care of his mother. The prosecution reported at the High Court in Edinburgh that Robertson acted with his now-deceased father, Alan Robertson, to carry out “predatory” sexual strikes against the infants while they were at their family home.
The investigation established that his mother, then 79-year-old Jennifer Robertson—also of Murthly, Perthshire—subjected the same children to a horrifying catalogue of mental and physical abuse. The prosecution reported that Jennifer Robertson forced children to wear urine-soaked underwear on their heads and sit in cold baths as part of a “cruel and unnatural” regime. While she did not sexually abuse the children herself, she was found guilty of failing to take any steps to prevent her son’s sexual violence, essentially facilitating a house of horrors for the children in her care.
Judicial Findings and Sentencing
The court reported that the victims, now adults, provided consistent and harrowing accounts of the sustained abuse they endured. The investigation established that Jennifer Robertson’s “devious” betrayal of her role as a foster carer left a lifetime of trauma. The prosecution reported that as the sentences were handed down, one victim shouted “scum” at the 79-year-old. Despite the gravity of her physical and mental cruelty, Jennifer Robertson was spared jail due to her age, receiving a Community Payback Order with 250 hours of unpaid work.
Judge-led proceedings at the High Court in Edinburgh concluded on 17 April 2026. For his actions in Murthly, Perthshire and the nature of the serial child abuse and rape reported, Steven Robertson was sentenced to 11 years in prison with a three-year extended supervision period. Jennifer Robertson was ordered to complete her unpaid work within 12 months. Both mother and son were handed indefinite non-harassment orders, banning them from ever contacting their victims again.
Status and Statutory Requirements
Based on the judicial orders issued at the High Court in Edinburgh on 17 April 2026:
- Legal Status: CONVICTED (Steven: Rape and sexual assault of children; Jennifer: Cruel and unnatural treatment, physical abuse, and failure to protect a child from sexual assault).
- Custodial Status: SERVING (Steven: 11 years + 3 years extension; Jennifer: Non-custodial Community Payback Order).
- Sex Offenders Register: Steven Robertson is registered INDEFINITELY.
- DBS Status (PVG Scheme): Both placed on the Barred List (Indefinite and permanent ban from any role involving children or regulated activity).
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh; investigated by Police Scotland.
- Criminal Record: Steven Robertson raped infants under the age of five; Jennifer Robertson physically abused foster children and used urine-soaked clothing as punishment; Both facilitated a decade of serial child abuse in a foster home.
- Origin: Murthly, Perthshire.
Monitoring and Public Protection
The Robertsons are managed under the statutory requirements of the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) in Perthshire. Due to the nature of their behaviour—specifically the “merciless” betrayal of vulnerable children in foster care—Steven Robertson is a priority for high-level supervision upon his eventual release. Authorities reported that the 2026 conviction ensures Jennifer Robertson is permanently stripped of her ability to act in any care capacity, following her “appalling” failure to protect children from her own son.
As a registered sex offender, Steven Robertson’s details are permanently logged on the national police database. Authorities state that the Robertsons’ behaviour identifies individuals who prioritised their own gratification and cruelty over the safety and human rights of the children they were paid to protect. Any failure by either individual to adhere to their indefinite non-harassment orders in Murthly, Perthshire, or elsewhere will result in immediate police intervention to ensure the ongoing safety of the public from a mother and son who have violated the principles of human decency.
QUESTION – Given that the foster carer received “Unpaid Work” while her son was jailed for 14 years, do you believe the law should legally mandate an immediate prison sentence for any carer who “Fails to Prevent” sexual abuse, regardless of their age or health?
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