Our family has been destroyed (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Our family has been destroyed

Sharon Robinson and her son Luke Ref: 78090-234THE estranged wife of the shamed football coach who had sex with an under-age player says he has destroyed their family.

And his 13-year-old son says he is angry with his dad.

Sharon Robinson's husband Paul was jailed for 15 months at Swindon crown court on Friday after it was discovered he was having sex with a 15-year-old girl in his team.

Robinson pleaded guilty to 10 counts of sexual activity with a child and five of taking an indecent photograph with a child.

His wife, who began divorce proceedings the day of the sentence, said: "He has just destroyed our family really."

Robinson and Sharon have two children together, a 13-year-old son and a 10-year-old daughter and Sharon also has two girls, aged 16 and 18, from a previous marriage.

Sharon, 38, of Walcot, says she is worried her husband could have taken advantage of her daughters.

"The thing that gets me is that I have got a daughter older than that girl. That makes me feel sick," she said.

"It scares me the thought of what could have happened. It has totally changed my views on him as a person. There's no way back for him."

The couple got married in 1994 and they separated a year ago when Sharon began to suspect something was going on between Robinson and the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

Sharon says the day she found out about the relationship was one of the worst in her life.

"We are not together over this," she said.

"I had my suspicions and I kept asking him about it but he kept denying it," she said.

"Then one morning when we weren't living together I let myself in to where he was staying and found her in his bed.

"It was gutting. When I found her in his bed I was totally gutted, it was probably one of the worst days ever, not just for myself, but for the kids. We've been left to pick up the pieces."

And she says if it was not for her two friends, Nancy and Robert Etherington, she might not have been able to cope.

But while Sharon believes she can never forgive her husband she realises her children still love their dad.

"I'm trying to move on with my life but it's hard when you have got people coming up to you and saying things like he's a pervert," she said.

"He has written to me a few times but I can't forgive him.

"The children are angry and upset for what he has done but he is still their dad.

"I'm going to try and forget about it but I don't think this is something you will ever forget.

"That day he took his vows it obviously meant nothing to him."

Robinson's son, thirteen-year-old Luke, said he was angry with the victim as well as his dad.

He said: "I'm getting a bit of hassle at school. I'm angry with them both.

"I'm really annoyed with him but I still want to see him."

Gareth Bethell