RALPH SUTTON OF COMBE MARTIN CAUGHT GROOMING UNDERAGE GIRLS IN DEVON

In July 2017, Ralph Sutton, a former town councillor from Combe Martin in North Devon, was sentenced to prison after being caught attempting to groom two young girls online. Sutton, aged 56 and residing on Orchard Lane in Combe Martin, had previously been convicted of possessing indecent images and attempting to contact a 14-year-old girl via the internet. Despite being under a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) that prohibited any form of online contact with minors, Sutton deliberately violated these restrictions by engaging with what he believed to be two underage girls through messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and Link.

According to court reports, Sutton initially believed he was communicating with two girls named Kirsty, aged 13, and Jade, aged 12. In reality, these profiles were fabricated by a vigilante group known as The Midlands Hunters, who had set up the profiles as part of an undercover operation to catch online predators. Sutton’s contact with these profiles began in April, and within hours, he shifted the conversation towards explicit sexual content, making suggestive remarks and discussing sexual acts.

He proposed to meet the 13-year-old girl, offering to take her out into the countryside on his motorcycle to engage in sexual activities. The group monitoring his activity alerted the police after they discovered his chat logs, which they subsequently posted on their website to warn others and gather evidence.

Sutton’s background includes a move to Combe Martin after a previous conviction in London in 2010. He had undergone a Sex Offenders Treatment Course and was under police supervision under a Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangement (MAPPA). Despite these measures, Sutton continued to seek online contact with minors, breaching the conditions of his SHPO.

During the court proceedings at Exeter Crown Court, Judge Phillip Wassall sentenced Sutton to 30 months in prison. The judge emphasized the seriousness of Sutton’s actions, stating, “The order was in place to stop you communicating with and grooming children on the internet for the purpose of sexual exploitation. You made contact with these girls on the internet and were grooming them for some form of sexual activity. You may not have intended to meet them personally, but it appears to be more about fueling your fantasies rather than a genuine attempt to exploit the girls directly.”

Judge Wassall further noted that Sutton’s online activity involved explicit discussions, including fantasies about sexual acts and even meeting the girls. The court acknowledged that Sutton was actively searching for young girls online, but the vigilante group’s intervention prevented any actual contact. Prosecutor Miss Janice Eagles explained that Sutton believed he was communicating with a girl named Kirsty, but in reality, he was talking to a man named Shraine Cumber, aged 35, from Leicester, who was part of The Midlands Hunters.

She detailed how Sutton’s chat logs revealed his explicit intentions, including suggestions of giving the girl cider and going somewhere quiet, as well as fantasizing about sexual acts involving her. After being traced through hints in the conversation, Cumber contacted the police and ended the chat. Sutton then resumed contact under a different alias, Gothic, and continued his pursuit, falling for another fake profile of a girl named Jade, also created by Cumber. Sutton’s actions culminated in police arresting him in May, after he sent a photograph of himself wearing only underpants and appeared aroused.

Defence lawyer Mr Warren Robinson argued that Sutton’s offending was linked to depression and poor health, suggesting that his online activity was driven by fantasy rather than a genuine intent to meet the minors face-to-face. He also criticized the vigilante group for humiliating Sutton by sharing chat logs with his family, rather than confronting him directly.

In a related incident in June 2017, Sutton admitted to asking a 13-year-old girl for naked pictures online, breaching his previous SOPO. This order, issued in 2010 after his initial conviction, prohibited him from online contact with minors without parental consent. Sutton’s breaches included attempting to incite sexual activity and requesting explicit images from the girl. Judge Geoffrey Mercer, QC, adjourned the case for a probation report and remanded Sutton in custody, emphasizing the ongoing risk posed by his actions and the importance of monitoring his behavior.