Pride group founder spoke about abuse, jury told
GoogleA man accused of multiple child sex offences allegedly spoke of kidnapping schoolchildren, sexually abusing boys and visiting a swimming pool to "perv", a trial has heard.
Stephen Ireland, 40, who co-founded Pride in Surrey in 2018, is facing 35 charges while his flatmate David Sutton, 27, a volunteer with the organisation, is accused of 20 offences.
In WhatsApp messages from 2022, Mr Sutton and Mr Ireland spoke of "snatching" or "kidnapping" a schoolchild, Guildford Crown Court heard on Thursday.
The defendants have denied all the charges, and jurors were told they would argue the allegations were ill-founded and untrue. Mr Ireland had previously said to police the communications were "merely fantasy and role play".
Jurors heard the pair discussed targeting children outside school gates while pretending to be a talent coach or music manager, and how to avoid CCTV.
The court was told that, in one message, Mr Ireland allegedly wrote to Mr Sutton, "every day passes and I wanna do something terrible with you".
Jurors were also told that Mr Ireland and Mr Sutton described themselves as "pedos" in messages and that they discussed kidnapping and raping someone in the changing rooms of a swimming pool.
The court heard that, in August 2022, the defendants allegedly discussed arrangements to procure a 13-year-old boy for Mr Sutton's 25th birthday in October of that year.
It's further alleged that, during 2022 and 2023, the pair discussed sexually abusing two children, including a girl aged six.
Prosecutor Isabel Delamere said the conversations were "not just a passing fantasy or passing fad" but demonstrated "a long and consistent history" between the defendants.
Mr Ireland and Mr Sutton are jointly charged with 15 offences relating to a number of children.
Mr Ireland is charged with a further 20 counts, including raping a child and causing a child to engage in sexual activity.
Mr Sutton is charged with another five offences, including making indecent photographs of children.
The trial continues.
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