The founder of a local LGBTQ+ pride organisation in England has been charged with a string of child sexual abuse offences, including child rape and making indecent photographs of children.
Pride in Surrey founder and former director Stephen Ireland, 40, and former Pride in Surrey volunteer David Sutton, 26, were arrested and charged by Surrey Police this week on a range of child sexual abuse charges.
The two were jointly charged with 15 offences. include He has been charged with four counts of conspiracy to commit child sexual assault, conspiracy to abduct a child, facilitating the commission of a child sex offence and conspiracy to administer drugs with intent, Surrey Police said in a statement.
Ireland is also charged separately with 22 additional offences, including rape of a child under 13, coercing a child under 13 to have sexual intercourse, making indecent photographs of children, possessing prohibited images of children and distributing indecent photographs of children.
Meanwhile, Sutton was separately charged with a further seven offences including making indecent photographs of children, possessing prohibited images of children, possessing extreme pornographic images and distributing indecent photographs of children.
All of the alleged crimes occurred between August 2022 and July 2024, police said.
Pride in Surrey, a non-profit LGBTQ+ organisation based in Woking, a suburb of London, state Its “mission” is to “celebrate the inclusion and diversity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT+) culture and community.”
group said The organization first learned of the allegations on June 12 and “immediately removed” both Ireland and Sutton from the organization, with Ireland being removed from her board of directors. Both men have since been permanently removed from the organization.
“Like you, we are appalled and horrified by the charges that have been made against these two individuals and we will be cooperating fully with Surrey Police in any steps they require to ensure justice is achieved,” Pride in Surrey said.
“The alleged victims and their families deserve justice and our hearts go out to them at what is undoubtedly an extremely difficult time for them.”
