North Yorkshire Police are urgently searching for Robert Chinchen, a 36-year-old man from Scarborough, and ask anyone who knows where he is to call 999 immediately.
Chinchen, who previously caused “misery and fear” on Scarborough’s Barrowcliff estate, was released from prison yesterday (7 August), but has already breached his licence conditions. Officers believe he will be heading to, or is already in, the Scarborough area.
Chinchen has also breached an interim Slavery and Trafficking Risk Order (STRO), which was imposed on him on 25 July at Scarborough Magistrates’ Court.
In a first for North Yorkshire Police, the Scarborough Neighbourhood Policing Team is using modern slavery legislation in an innovative way to manage Chinchen’s behaviour.
The application for the interim STRO was led by Inspector Craig Regan as part of the Barrowcliff ‘Clear, Hold, Build’ project, and was successfully made on behalf of the Chief Constable of North Yorkshire Police.
Following a review of the legislation, Inspector Regan identified that an interim STRO could be applied for even when an individual has not been convicted of a slavery or human trafficking offence, provided they are believed to pose a significant risk of committing such offences.
The civil order, which comes under the Modern Slavery Act 2015, allows courts to place restrictions on a person’s behaviour to prevent harm, such as limiting travel or contact with vulnerable individuals.
Breaching a STRO is a criminal offence punishable by:
- Up to five years’ imprisonment on conviction on indictment (Crown Court)
- Up to six months’ imprisonment on summary conviction (Magistrates’ Court)
Police also have the power to arrest anyone suspected of breaching an STRO.
The investigation into Chinchen uncovered substantial evidence of his involvement in the exploitation of multiple vulnerable individuals within the local community.
Due to fear, many victims did not feel safe approaching police directly. Instead, evidence was gathered through key partner agencies including:
- North Yorkshire Horizons Drug and Alcohol Services
- Social Services
- IDAS (Independent Domestic Abuse Services)
- North Yorkshire Council
These organisations submitted evidence on behalf of victims to support the STRO application and safeguard the community.
Insp Regan said: “Robert Chinchen’s tactics of intimidation, coercion and manipulation have left his victims living in constant fear from which they are unable to escape.
“This has a heavy impact on their physical and psychological wellbeing. Without the imposition of the interim Slavery and Trafficking Risk Order, Chinchen would persist in his exploitative behaviour, putting more vulnerable individuals in danger.
“It is important to stress the considerable amount of work that has been undertaken by our Community Safety partners to bring everyone together to obtain the evidence to secure this order.”
North Yorkshire Police are urging anyone who sees Robert Chinchen, or knows where he is, to call 999 immediately.
