Kevin Wyeth

Kevin Wyeth, a 39-year-old predator from Eastbourne, was sentenced at Lewes Crown Court on 2 May 2025 for a series of online child sexual offences targeting four girls under the age of 13. Wyeth used a mobile phone account to impersonate a teenage boy, bullying and coercing the victims into providing indecent images and videos. He exploited their fears by making threats to locate and rape them, and forced them to engage in sexual activity through group chat messages. Officers from Sussex Police's Online Child Abuse Team (OCAT) located him at a flat in Eastbourne in March 2023, where they seized a mobile phone that contained the illicit material.

The investigation revealed Wyeth's extensive criminal history, including prior convictions in 2018 and 2020 for making indecent images and engaging in sexual communications with a child, as well as a 2023 sentence for breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). During the 2023 incident, Wyeth refused to provide the PIN for his phone, leading to further probes that uncovered offences against the four victims. He was charged with 35 counts, encompassing seven counts of distributing indecent images, ten counts of making indecent images, five counts of engaging in sexual communications with a child, one count of attempting to engage in such communications, three counts of breaching a SHPO, three counts of inciting girls under 13 to engage in sexual activity (including one count of penetrative activity), two counts of threatening to disclose private sexual photographs to cause distress, and three counts of malicious communications.

The court imposed a 20-year extended sentence on Wyeth, consisting of 15 years' imprisonment followed by five years on licence. He had been remanded in custody since his initial hearing at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on 12 October 2024. The victims, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, have received support from specially trained officers. One victim shared: “He made me feel like I could not talk to anybody.” Parents of the victims described the profound impact, with one calling Wyeth a “prolific child predator” who inflicted “lasting emotional scars” and shattered trust in the online world. Another parent noted changes in their daughter's behaviour due to the ongoing fear and trauma caused by Wyeth's actions.

Detective Constable Gary Baker from the OCAT team stated: “Wyeth preyed on the fears of the girls to commit his crimes. He has repeatedly committed similar offences, breached Sexual Harm Prevention Orders, and is a danger to children. His crimes have caused lasting harm to the victims, who all require ongoing support.” This case underscores Sussex Police's commitment to pursuing online child abusers, as evidenced by the thorough investigation that led to Wyeth's conviction. The offences occurred prior to his arrest in March 2023, with the victims all under 13 at the time.