EXETER PAEDOPHILE ROSS KINGSLAND AND AMERICAN BABYSITTER PAIGE POOLE SENTENCED FOR CHILD ABUSE AND ONLINE PREDATION
In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Exeter, two individuals have been convicted and sentenced for heinous crimes involving the abuse of a young child and online child exploitation.Paige Poole, aged 29, and Ross Kingsland, aged 44, engaged in a series of depraved acts that have left a lasting impact on their victims and their families.
Poole, originally from the United States and residing in London at the time, traveled to the UK in 2018 after marrying an Englishman.
Her connection to Kingsland was forged on an extreme fetish website, where they described each other as sharing a 'black heart.' Their relationship quickly took a dark turn as they collaborated in the sexual abuse of a one-year-old child.
Poole was recorded filming herself engaging in sexual acts with the toddler and subsequently sent these videos to Kingsland, who was living in Exeter.
Kingsland, a married man, encouraged her in her vile actions, further demonstrating his complicity.
The police investigation revealed that the pair had exchanged hundreds of messages on platforms like WhatsApp, detailing their disturbing intentions and sharing explicit content.
Kingsland and Poole conspired to abuse the young child, with Poole repeatedly assaulting the toddler on multiple occasions.
Their communications included affectionate and disturbing messages, with Kingsland referring to Poole as 'my Dark Angel' and expressing happiness that her 'black heart' was pleased.
Evidence also showed Poole laughing during some of the abuse, highlighting her disturbing attitude towards the acts.
During the court proceedings at Exeter Crown Court, the severity of their crimes was laid bare.
Poole pleaded guilty to multiple sexual offenses, including eleven counts of sexual assault, conspiracy to assault a child, engaging in sexual activity with a child, taking indecent photographs of a child, and distributing such images.
She also admitted to conspiring to rape a second girl.
The court heard that her actions were part of a broader pattern of abuse, with Kingsland traveling to London and visiting her address, although there was no evidence he physically assaulted any children himself.
The impact on the victims' families was profound.
In emotional victim impact statements, the parents described their overwhelming distress and the lifelong trauma inflicted by Poole’s actions.
They expressed the heartbreaking reality that they will carry the scars of their inability to protect their children and the loss of trust in others.
They characterized Poole as 'dangerous, calculating and conniving.' Kingsland, who had prior convictions dating back to 2012 for exposing himself to two 12-year-old girls, also pleaded guilty to multiple charges.
These included conspiracy to assault a child under 13, aiding and abetting the sexual abuse of a child, conspiracy to rape a child, and possession and distribution of indecent images of children.
His criminal history and online activities came to light during the investigation, revealing that he had attempted to contact an undercover police officer posing as a fellow child abuser, with plans to meet and commit further offenses in London.
He shared a video depicting a woman abusing a child and expressed frustration over lockdown restrictions preventing his plans.
In July of the previous year, Kingsland was arrested by police in Exeter after his online activities were uncovered.
It was during his time in custody that Poole appeared at his home, initially claiming to be shocked by his behavior.
However, police found evidence on her phones of their shared sickening desires and videos she had tried to delete.
Both offenders appeared before Exeter Crown Court, where Judge David Evans sentenced Poole to 17 years in prison, including four years on extended license, and Kingsland to 15 years, also with an extended term.
The judge emphasized that both individuals were fully aware of their actions and described their crimes as a 'true meeting of wicked minds,' causing immense suffering to their victims and their families.
