‘Papa Smurf’ who had collection of 11,500 Smurfs is jailed for 16 years for raping a girl under 16 

A pensioner who hit the headlines for amassing the world’s biggest collection of Smurfs has been jailed after being exposed as a child rapist.

Robin White – who dubbed himself ‘Papa Smurf’ – travelled around schools and nurseries showing off his bizarre collection of over 11,500 dolls.

But the 65-year-old toy collector has now been jailed for 16 years after being found guilty of raping and sexually assaulting a girl under the age of 16.

The retired lorry driver, who has travelled the country showing off his collection in his van, was uncovered as a vile paedophile after the victim reported his crimes.

The woman, who is now an adult, revealed how she had been abused as a youngster and was forced to relive the ordeal after White pleaded not guilty.

Robin White, 65, who hit the headlines for amassing the world’s biggest collection of Smurfs, has been jailed after being exposed as a child rapist

Giving evidence, she told the court how the depraved father-of-three used a sex toy on her and raped her in a garden shed when she was a child.

White, of Swadlincote, Derbyshire, denied six counts of rape, causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and several charges of indecent assault on a child.

He was found guilty following a trial at Derby Crown Court and was jailed on Thursday. White was also handed a lifetime sexual harm prevention order.

An NSPCC spokesman said afterwards: ‘This case is yet another harrowing example of the effect child sexual abuse can have on victims.

‘It can ruin childhoods and the effects can last long into adulthood.

‘The courage of the woman who reported White’s unforgivable actions cannot be understated.

White dubbed himself ‘Papa Smurf’ – travelled around schools and nurseries showing off his bizarre collection of over 11,500 dolls

‘This sentence shows that no matter when the abuse happened, paedophiles like White can still face the justice they deserve and we would encourage anyone who has experienced abuse to speak up and seek support.’

White, whose birth name is Michael, previously made headlines in 2017 claiming the Smurfs collected alongside his son was the largest haul on the planet.

White and son spent thousands of pounds on the dolls and memorabilia having scoured the country buying the little blue toys at car boot sales.

White said he started the project to tackle his son’s attention deficit hyperactively disorder but the project soon became an obsession.

The retired lorry driver, who has travelled the country showing off his collection in his van, was uncovered as a vile paedophile after the victim reported his crimes

The woman, who is now an adult, revealed how she had been abused as a youngster and was forced to relive the ordeal after White pleaded not guilty

Speaking previously, he estimated spending around £2,000 on the toys and kept over 10,000 of them in his van.

The oldest toys date back to the first ones released in 1946, which were brown rather than blue, when the Smurfs were comic book characters.

His most valuable piece of memorabilia is a crystal key ring, which is estimated to be worth around £300.

He said: ‘Everyone loves the van, it’s covered in Smurf stickers but all the children still jump and scream when they see what’s inside.

Speaking previously, White estimated spending around £2,000 on the toys and kept over 10,000 of them in his van

‘Any item of Smurf memorabilia out we will have it, jumpers, armbands and badges you name it we’ve got it.’

‘We have 11,500 Smurfs in total and it’s always growing.

‘It started after Chris, who we called Mucky Smurf, watched Smurfs 2 in 2013.

‘We went to Poundland and bought some Smurfs and we’ve been collecting them ever since.

‘It’s a hobby and helps him to relax and focus his energy.

‘We have probably spent about £2,000 in total but I think the collection could be worth about £11,500, which is good as we’ve never spent over £1 on a Smurf.’