Robert Cockburn: Serial Sex Offender Jailed for Exposing Himself in East Lothian

Robert Cockburn, a 78-year-old repeat offender, has been sentenced to eight months in prison for exposing himself to a woman in Port Seton, East Lothian.

The streets of Port Seton, East Lothian, became the latest scene of a disturbing pattern of behavior by Robert Cockburna 78-year-old man with a history of sexual offenses. On February 8 this year, Cockburn stood fully naked at his living room window, exposing himself to a woman passing by his house.

This incident, among others, led to his recent sentencing.

The Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard details of Cockburn’s actions on Monday, June 8. Due to an unusual circumstance where no wheelchair was available to bring him up from the court’s cell complex, Sheriff Jackson took the unprecedented step of going down to the cell area to read out the details of the offenses in Cockburn’s presence.

This decision underscored the seriousness of the case and the need for justice to be served promptly.

The Incident and Arrest

On that chilly February day, Cockburn’s actions were witnessed by a woman walking past his property. The police were swiftly alerted, and the disabled OAP was arrested and charged with sexual offenses.

Cockburn pleaded guilty to intentionally exposing his genitals to the woman with the intention that she would see him. The court heard that he was fully naked within a window at his home during the incident.

A plea of not guilty was accepted by prosecutors regarding another incident where Cockburn allegedly carried out a solo sex act in front of a man at a public toilet at the Forth Bridges Viewpoint in South Queensferry on March 10 this year. Despite this, the court found sufficient evidence to proceed with the sentencing based on the confirmed offenses.

A History of Offenses

Cockburn’s latest conviction is not an isolated incident. The retired bus inspector has a lengthy history of sexual offenses, including exposing himself to children and serving custodial sentences for his actions. In 2026, he was jailed for 212 days after admitting to flashing his genitals to women at a local supermarket and asking adult men for sexual favors at a public toilet in Musselburgh, East Lothian.

His offenses extended to exposing his genitals to two schoolboys aged 12 and 14 and asking them to perform a sex act on him at the same public convenience. These actions led to Cockburn being handed an Anti-Social Behavior Order (ASBO) banning him from entering any public toilet building in East Lothian. However, upon his release from prison, he began breaching this order almost immediately.

Breaches of the ASBO

Within months of his release, Cockburn was seen within the public convenience sitting on the toilet in a state of undress with the door open, allowing members of the public to see him. A second incident at the same location saw the pensioner smear faeces on the walls of the toilets. His behavior escalated further when he deliberately watched men while they urinated at toilets at Waverley train station in Edinburgh and exposed himself to women at a dental clinic in Prestonpans, East Lothian.

These repeated breaches of his ASBO led to further legal consequences. In, Cockburn was sentenced to eight months in custody and placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years. This sentence was a stark reminder of the consequences of his actions and the need to protect the public from his predatory behavior.

The Latest Sentencing

Sheriff Jackson sentenced Cockburn to an eight-month prison term, backdated to his remand date in March this year. This decision took into account the seriousness of his offenses and his history of similar actions. The court’s decision aimed to ensure that Cockburn faced the full weight of the law for his actions.

The sentencing of Robert Cockburn serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance and the need for the legal system to protect the public from repeat offenders. His actions have caused distress and alarm to the community, and the court’s decision reflects the seriousness with which such offenses are viewed.