‘Cruel, sadistic’ torturer jailed for life

A “CRUEL, heartless and sadistic” torturer was jailed for life yesterday after a judge told him the only place for him was behind bars.

Carlon Robinson, 27, was told by Old Bailey judge David Stokes he was wicked and exceptionally dangerous.

“Only old age or infirmity will result in your release,” he told him.

The court heard Robinson and Nolan Atkins, 25, were responsible for a reign of fear from July to October 2001, in Brighton, Eastbourne and Brixton, south London.

The victims were tortured and attempts were made to kill two of them during robberies.

Robinson, of Merton Court, Brighton, was convicted at an earlier trial and was yesterday given two life sentences for attempted murder.

He was jailed concurrently for sentences of up to 12 years for other offences including using firearms, false imprisonment and causing grievous bodily harm.

Atkins, of south London, was jailed for 15 years for one attempted murder and given other sentences to run concurrently for the other offences.

Judge Stokes sentenced Robinson in his absence as he refused to go into court.

Atkins, the judge said, had been under Robinson’s influence but had taken an active part in the degradation and torture.

Both men, who had denied the charges, had appalling records, he said.

Detective Superintendent Chris Buckell said outside court: “I have never come across anyone as sadistic and evil as Robinson. His victims were subjected to appalling violence. One man had boiling water poured over his genitals.

“We believe he had many more victims who did not come forward.

“His undoing came when he moved to Brighton and people there contacted police after a summer of terror. He caused fear for years. He knew people were frightened of him. He preyed on people.”

The court was told armed police arrested Robinson in Deptford High Street, south London.

A loaded revolver was in a bag he dropped nearby.

The crime-wave for which the men were sentenced began on July 14 2001 at a house in Portland Street, Brighton. There, the gunmen tied up and assaulted Ignatius Powell.

They threatened to cut off his penis which was prodded with a knife before boiling water was poured over it.

As others returned to the house, they were also assaulted.

The men went on to Eastbourne the following month and demanded money from a man they knew.

They ended up in a flat in Ceylon Place where a number of men were beaten and robbed at gunpoint.

At another address in Havelock Road, two men and a woman were robbed after being tied up and beaten.

On September 1, Robinson took a sports car from a woman he knew and was stopped driving it by Suand was released because the car had not been reported stolen.

The car was later used to commit other offences.