Craig Ryan

Craig Ryan, a 53-year-old resident of Peterborough, was sentenced at Peterborough Crown Court on 16 April 2024, following his arrest in August 2023 for serious child sexual exploitation offences.

Officers from Cambridgeshire Constabulary were alerted after Ryan uploaded indecent images of children to an online messaging site. Upon executing a search at his home on Silverwood Road in the Millfield area of Peterborough, police seized multiple electronic devices. Forensic examination revealed over 300 indecent images and videos of children, including 61 classified as Category A—the most severe category. The devices also contained material depicting bestiality.

Ryan pleaded guilty to three counts of making an indecent photograph of a child, three counts of distributing an indecent photograph of a child, one count of possessing extreme pornographic material involving animals, and one count of sending an indecent message. He was sentenced to two years and four months' imprisonment.

PC Shane O'Brien, the investigating officer from Cambridgeshire Constabulary, commented: “Ryan’s crimes prove he poses a serious threat to children. He admitted his offences and claimed he was expecting police to come knocking on his door any day, but continued to offend anyway for reasons he was unable to explain. This case shows how seriously this type of offending is taken by us and the criminal justice system.”

The case underscores the ongoing efforts by Cambridgeshire Constabulary to combat online child sexual abuse, with the force maintaining dedicated resources to address such threats.