The founder of an LGBTQ+ group has been found guilty of raping a 12-year-old boy he met on Grindr.
Stephen Ireland, 41, who co-founded Pride in Surrey in 2018, was convicted at Guildford Crown Court on Tuesday of raping the child at the flat he shared with David Sutton, 27, in Addlestone on April 19 2024.
Ireland along with Sutton, who was a volunteer for Surrey Pride, stood trial for a total of 38 offences between them, including conspiring to sexually assault children, arranging the commission of child sex offences and conspiring to kidnap.
The court heard the boy, 12, had met Ireland at his flat after messaging on dating app Grindr during which Ireland had suggested they kiss and watch pornography.
The child told police they had sex in the flat, smoked a bong and that pornography was played on a laptop, jurors heard.
The trial heard how the pair discussed targeting children outside school gates while pretending to be a talent coach or music manager and how to avoid CCTV.
Ireland allegedly said in one of the messages ‘all I’m thinking of is making out with a 13’ and in another he told the volunteer ‘every day passes and I wanna do something terrible with you’, the court heard.
Sutton and Ireland also described themselves as ‘pedos’ in messages.
Hellbound and Down 