Supermarket home delivery driver who sexually assaulted Leeds pensioners is jailed

THE daughter of one of two Leeds pensioners sexually abused in their own homes after being befriended by a 'vile' supermarket delivery driver has told how her late mother sank into depression following the attacks.

A Leeds Crown Court judge jailed former store delivery driver Robert Pedley for two years after a jury convicted him of sexually assaulting a 65-year-old woman in Seacroft on two occasions in January 2016.


Pedley, of Swarcliffe Drive, Swarcliffe, Leeds, was also found guilty of sexually assaulting an 80-year-old woman in Crossgates twice in one day in July 2016.


Both pensioners have since died.

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The daughter of the 65-year-old woman, said Pedley befriended her mother and made her cups of tea during numerous visits to her home to deliver shopping before the attacks.


She said after the sex assaults her mother became more depressed, didn’t want to leave the house and was paranoid about people knocking on the door.


She said her mother, who suffered from a number of health problems, died in April last year, adding: “I think she lost interest in life.


“I think he (Pedley) is a vile, disgusting man. He has ruined my family’s lives. He has taken everything away from us all. We couldn’t pull my mum out of depression after what he did. She was too far gone.”

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In July 2016, Pedley called at the home of an 80-year-old woman in Crossgates to deliver her shopping. The victim lived alone and had severe arthritis and limited mobility.


He sexually assaulted her and then returned later in the day and sexually assaulted her again.

A Leeds Crown Court jury found Pedley guilty of four counts of sexual assault.


He was jailed for two years and his name will be on the sex offenders register for ten years.

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Pedley was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.


Detective Inspector Marc Bowes, of Leeds District Safeguarding Unit, said: “Pedley abused his position as a delivery driver to target and offend against these elderly and vulnerable victims for his own sexual gratification.


“The victims have sadly not lived to see him brought to justice but we hope it will provide some source of reassurance to their families to know that he has had to answer for his actions and been sent to prison.


“We are committed to doing everything we can alongside our partner agencies to protect and safeguard vulnerable victims from harm and we will always treat any reports of offences of this nature very seriously.”