Ryan Cruden, a 25-year-old man from Egremont in Cumbria, was sentenced to nine years in prison at Carlisle Crown Court on 11 December 2025 for committing 26 child sex offences against 20 victims. He had pleaded guilty to charges including sexual communication with a child, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, making indecent images, and distributing indecent images.
The offences occurred over a two-year period, during which Cruden used social media platforms to pretend to be a teenage girl. He targeted vulnerable children aged between 8 and 14, engaging in sexual communications and inciting them to send indecent images of themselves. Cruden then distributed these explicit images to other individuals, exacerbating the harm caused to the victims.
The investigation began when an external law enforcement agency contacted Cumbria Police to report that indecent images were being accessed at Cruden's home address. In May 2024, officers executed a warrant at the property and examined Cruden's mobile device on site, identifying category A and B indecent images. Cruden was arrested, and additional devices were seized for further analysis. Examination revealed a photo messaging app account linked to Cruden, operated under a fake female identity, which was used to solicit indecent images from victims. The account was also found on devices belonging to the identified victims.
In July 2024, Cruden was arrested again for indecent image offences and inciting a child after the photo messaging account attempted to add a new victim. A further search of his home led to the seizure of another mobile phone, with data showing access to the account from IP addresses linked to him, including while he was on holiday in Greece.
- Cruden admitted to 26 offences against 20 children.
- Victims ranged in age from 8 to 14 years old.
- Offences included posing as a teenage girl to coerce children into sexual activity.
- Indecent images were distributed to others.
Detective Constable Sarah Aiston from the Cyber and Digital Crime Unit commented on the case, stating, 'Cruden poses a significant risk to children. He has sexually communicated with vulnerable children, ranging in age from 8 years to 14 years old. He went to great lengths to conceal his offending, posing behind a fake account, pretending to be a teenage girl with the sole purpose of inciting children to engage in sexual activity, coercing them into sending indecent images of themselves and communicating with them in a sexual manner. Cruden then distributed the images he received of the children to other people and used these images to cause further harm.'
A Cumbria Police spokesperson added, 'Cruden's offending came to light after an external law enforcement agency contacted Cumbria Police to report indecent images being accessed at Cruden’s home address.' The force emphasised its commitment to targeting individuals who view, share, or communicate inappropriately with children online.