Football coach, 21, jailed for nine years for trying to rape boy

A FORMER football coach who tried to rape a boy has been jailed for nine years.

Robert Thomas Fisher, 21, lured one boy to a garage to look for a football and attempted to rape him.

Hull Crown Court heard Fisher placed his hand over the boy's mouth to muffle his screams.

Fisher, a former coach at North Ferriby, sexually assaulted a second boy on a number of occasions.

He promised his victims collectable football cards in exchange for their silence and was also caught with 2,106 indecent images of children.

Fisher, of Elloughton, was brought to justice after one of his victims told their parents by text message and they contacted the police.

The boy's message read: "I'm so scared telling you this. You know Robbie Fisher, he used to get me when nobody was there. He covered my mouth to stop me screaming and would have sex with me."

Fisher's other victim had also confided in his parents and they had reported the matter to the NSPCC, but did not make a formal complaint to the police at the time to save their child the trauma of reliving it.

They were contacted again when the new allegation came to light.

Judge Mark Bury has now jailed Fisher for nine years and ordered him to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life. He is also banned from working with children for life.

Judge Bury told him: "There is some element of planning and some element of grooming. The offence caused a significant impact on these two young boys."

Fisher pleaded guilty to two counts of attempting to rape a boy, four counts of sexual assault and one count of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

The charges relate to two children aged under 13.

Fisher also pleaded guilty to ten charges of possessing indecent images.

Some of the indecent images were at the worst end of the scale.

Fisher had been downloading them over a four-year period, until he was apprehended.

They were all found on his computer when detectives raided his home.

Fisher told detectives he had received the indecent images when in chat rooms but later admitted downloading them in court.

Nine indecent videos were also found.

Fisher claimed he was confused about his sexuality when he committed the offences.