FOLKESTONE POLICE INSPECTOR TIMOTHY RYTON JAILED FOR CHILD SEX ABUSE IMAGES IN KENT AND BEYOND
In a case that has shocked the community of Folkestone and the wider Kent area, former police inspector Timothy Neville Ryton, aged 45, has been sentenced to nine years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple charges related to the creation, distribution, and possession of indecent images and videos of children.The disturbing case was brought to light following investigations that spanned several countries and involved multiple law enforcement agencies.
Ryton, who served as a police officer with Kent Police for over 25 years, was arrested on 23 January 2017.
His arrest was prompted by information received from Greater Manchester Police during an investigation into child exploitation activities in Stockport, Cheshire.
The details of the investigation quickly expanded, revealing Ryton’s involvement in sharing heinous material via private messaging apps.
He was subsequently bailed to an address in Essex, but the investigation uncovered far more troubling details.
During the course of the inquiry, authorities discovered that Ryton owned a mobile device with a private messaging application.
By analyzing the device’s Wi-Fi connections, investigators were able to trace his movements and link the device to various locations, including his private residence in Folkestone, a public Wi-Fi account used by Kent Police, and international locations such as London, Paris, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, and Rome, during 2016 and early 2017.
These connections indicated that Ryton was actively using the messaging app to share illicit content between November 5 and 7, 2016, while at his home in Kent.
Under the pseudonym ‘Hubbabubba71,’ Ryton posted and shared graphic sexual images and videos involving children, along with obscene and sadistic language.
The material he shared included images and videos he had personally created, and investigators recovered similar content from his mobile device, confirming his direct involvement.
The evidence was so disturbing that the case was described by the presiding judge, the Right Honourable Judge Niblett, as ‘wholly exceptional,’ emphasizing the severity of Ryton’s actions and his status as a ‘deeply disturbed man.’ Judge Niblett sentenced Ryton to nine years in prison and imposed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order to protect potential victims.
Additionally, two mobile phones belonging to Ryton were confiscated and ordered to be destroyed.
The judge’s remarks highlighted the gravity of the case, stating that Ryton’s acts were ‘deliberately calculated and wicked,’ and that he posed a significant danger to children, especially young girls.
The case was described as possibly the worst breach of trust the judge had ever encountered.
Prior to sentencing, Kent Police Chief Constable Alan Pughsley dismissed Ryton from his position following a formal misconduct hearing held at Kent Police headquarters in Maidstone.
The hearing revealed that Ryton had logged into his online sharing account while at work, connecting to the Kent Police Wi-Fi network, which further underscored his breach of conduct.
It was also disclosed that Ryton had used two internet addresses in Kent to access the sharing website—one linked to a Sky TV account at his home and another associated with Kent Police’s network.
Investigators from Kent Police’s professional standards department, led by Detective Superintendent John McDermott, provided further details about the case.
They revealed that Ryton, under the username ‘HubbaBubba71,’ had posted material depicting sexual abuse of girls aged between seven and eleven.
The investigation uncovered that Ryton had used multiple locations to access and share this material, including his home in Folkestone, London, Paris, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, and Rome.
The police also found that Ryton had refused to cooperate during interviews, declining to explain his actions or provide reasons for his conduct.
Ryton’s arrest and suspension from duty marked the beginning of a lengthy investigation that exposed his extensive online activity.
Despite being released on bail with strict conditions, including the prohibition of possessing internet-enabled mobile devices, his father later contacted Kent Police, raising concerns about a mobile phone Ryton possessed, which was suspected to be in breach of his bail conditions.
The investigation confirmed that Ryton had used his mobile device to access and share illegal material while at work, further compounding his misconduct.
In March 2017, Ryton appeared at Crawley Magistrates’ Court, where he admitted to nine criminal charges, including making and distributing indecent images and videos of children, and voyeurism.
His plea was part of the legal process leading to his sentencing at Lewes Crown Court scheduled for 26 April 2017.
The case has garnered significant media attention due to the shocking nature of the crimes committed by a person in a position of public trust, and the extensive international connections involved in the investigation.
