57-year-old Vincent Charles Roberts, who was found by Police working in a Newport corner shop whilst hiding out on the Isle of Wight, has been found guilty of 8 counts of committing a prohibited act with someone suffering from a mental disorder.
As exclusively reported by Island Echo, Roberts was found living and working here on the Isle of Wight in August last year. He was arrested by local Police before being transferred to the States of Jersey Police, who were on the hunt for the former care worker after he tried to evade justice.
A trial held over the past 3 days has heard details about how Roberts, who was working as a healthcare assistant at a psychiatric facility on the island of Jersey, had begun communicating with a female patient via text message in June 2020.
Roberts soon switched to Snapchat to talk to the woman, knowing that messages would disappear. Over time the communications became more inappropriate and things then became physical, with the 57-year-old kissing the mentally unwell patient on more than 1 occasion.
Later on in 2020, Roberts began more communications with a 2nd female patient through TikTok, before again moving the conversation to Snapchat. Over the following weeks and months Roberts then engaged in sexual activity with this female.
The offences were initially disclosed to a member of staff, who raised a Safeguarding Adult Alert to the Adult Safeguarding Team. Roberts was then arrested in January 2021.
Throughout the investigation Roberts refused to engage with the process and left Jersey, fleeing to the Isle of Wight. He was located by Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary in August 2022 before being arrested and handed over to States of Jersey Police officers in Southampton, who took him back to Jersey where he appeared in court the next day.
Detective Constable Carla Garnier of States of Jersey Police has said:
“This was a long and complex investigation into how Roberts abused his position of trust with vulnerable people for his own gratification. He tried to evade justice by leaving the island, and I am thankful that he was apprehended, brought back to face the Courts and found guilty of this.
“We are committed to investigating and prosecuting all sexual offenders and want to assure victims that there are a number of agencies who are in a position to offer support and guidance through all stages of the criminal justice process”.
Roberts will be sentenced later this year.
Just what we don’t need an up and coming new Jimmy Saville living here.
Should be castrated and beaten.
Let’s hope he rots in a Jersey jail. Such a sick minded individual who will now deserve all he gets – just don’t let him out of Jersey no one else will want him.
This shop is close to where vulnerable patients go .Well done police for finding this piece of scum removing him from the Island to avoid accessing further vulnerable people .