Jail term review for rapist Sean Robinson who threatened to kill

A rapist who forced a woman into bushes after beating and threatening to kill a man she was on a first date with will have his sentence reviewed.

Sean Robinson, 18, of Sunderland, was jailed for five years after admitting the "abominable" attack in the summer of 2021 when he was 17 years old.

His case has now been referred to the Attorney General under the unduly lenient sentencing scheme.

Michael Tomlinson has 28 days to refer the case to the Court of Appeal.

Robinson, of Halesworth Road, who has no previous convictions, admitted assault and rape and was jailed at Newcastle Crown Court on Tuesday.

The hearing was told the victim had been walking home with the man, with them both planning a second date, when they were targeted.

Robinson subjected the man to a "severe" beating leaving him unconscious and bleeding.

The attacker then told the woman: "If you come and have sex with me I will not kill him."

Prosecutor Jane Waugh told the court the woman had "witnessed the horrific violence and knew what he was capable of".

The prosecutor added: "She decided, in order to save his life and protect herself from the defendant's unpredictable violence, she would have to agree to have sex with him so he would leave [the man] alone."

The court heard Robinson made the victim lie on an old coat he found near some bushes and raped her.

Ms Waugh added Robinson told the woman if she stopped he would go and kill the man.

She said the victim was crying throughout the attack.

Ms Waugh added: "The defendant said 'shut up and stop being a baby'."

After the attack, the woman managed to call her parents and police eventually caught Robinson near the scene.

Judge Stephen Earl said Robinson was "dangerous", adding the attack was "abominable".

As well as jailing him for five years, Robinson was given an extended three-year licence period, put on the sex offenders register and also given a restraining order to protect his victims for life.

In a victim statement, the woman said the experience was the worst of her life and that she felt "stuck" reliving the trauma.

The man said in his victim statement the date of the attack should have been a memorable one as it was his first meeting with the woman.

However, he said: "This date is etched into my memory for all the wrong reasons."

Lorraine Mustard, mitigating, said Robinson was now remorseful for his actions.

"He accepts he's ruined their lives," she added.

Latest government figures show 678 sentences were asked to be reviewed under the unduly lenient sentence scheme in 2021, and of those 106 criminals had their sentences increased.

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