ADRIAN RINGLAND JAILED IN DERBYSHIRE FOR ONLINE CHILD SEX OFFENCES

In November 2006, a 36-year-old man named Adrian Ringland received a 10-year prison sentence for his disturbing online activities involving underage girls. Ringland, described as a 'disgusting' internet paedophile, would hijack the computers of schoolgirls from his own home, manipulating their devices to terrify them into sending indecent images. He posed as an 'attractive and innocent' teenager in chat rooms to gain the trust of young people across the Atlantic in a case marked by manipulation, exploitation, and sexual gratification.

Once he obtained their email addresses, Ringland employed some of the most advanced computer programs police had seen to hack into the victims’ computers. This demonstrated the dark dangers of the internet and the depravity of some who use it. The Inner London Crown Court heard that after establishing control—evidenced by moving cursors, opening files, activating printers, and even manipulating a CD-ROM drawer—he would then blackmail his victims into undressing and sending explicit images.

One young girl compared Ringland’s hacking skills to the movie 'The Matrix,' saying it reminded her of the film. Another described her experience as 'internet rape' and spoke of contemplating suicide. A third girl felt as if she was being 'stalked' and was so terrified she believed Ringland was actually in her house.

As Ringland’s collection of illegal images grew, he became convinced he was beyond reach. He even told one girl, 'Call the cops… they won’t trace me.' Fortunately, his actions were exposed thanks to a brave 14-year-old girl from Manitoba, Canada, who confided in her parents about what she had been forced to do. Her parents contacted the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who launched a rigorous, high-tech investigation. They ultimately managed to breach Ringland’s sophisticated online defenses and traced him to his home in Lord Haddon Road, Ilkeston, Derbyshire, some 4,000 miles away.