MAIDSTONE AND YALDING PAEDOPHILE DARREN LEGGETT SENTENCED FOR CHILD ABUSE AND ONLINE TRADE

In a case that has shocked the communities of Maidstone and Yalding, Darren Leggett, a 32-year-old man, has been sentenced to a minimum of seven years in prison after being found guilty of a series of heinous child sex offences. The court heard that Leggett, who resided on Mount Avenue in Yalding, had engaged in a prolonged and depraved campaign of abuse against three young children over a span of six years, with his crimes spanning both physical abuse and the creation and distribution of explicit material online.

Leggett’s criminal activities came to light after a routine police investigation was triggered by an anonymous tip-off to the Internet Watch Foundation. This tip led to a detailed examination of websites operated by Leggett, which contained disturbing content, including videos and images of children being sexually exploited. The investigation revealed that Leggett had created at least 36 films depicting his abuse, some of which he titled in a manner that bragged about his actions, including one film that claimed to have been made without the child's knowledge during sexual activity lasting nearly 12 minutes. Another video, nearly 25 minutes long, bore the closing title: “What enjoyment that was!!!” and included explicit references to his sexual assault of a girl “every which way you can think”.

Authorities uncovered that Leggett had used the internet to trade and share these vile images and videos with others, effectively commodifying his abuse. His websites contained a total of 60 indecent images of children, ranging from the lowest to the highest levels of severity, with one website titled “the best child site ever”. The content was part of a broader online network where he communicated with other paedophiles, openly discussing his crimes and interests.

During his arrest in February, police found Leggett at his parents’ home in Maidstone. He was visibly shaken, trembling as officers took him into custody, but he made a bizarre joke about preferring “pink fluffy ones” when handcuffed. A search of his belongings uncovered a range of illicit items, including cannabis paraphernalia, cable ties, a knife, and a collection of 13 pairs of boys’ pants. The investigation also revealed that Leggett had been involved in the production and distribution of child abuse images, which he had uploaded to his websites, some of which were labeled with titles such as “the best child site ever”.

Detective Sergeant Dave Shipley, a specialist in online child exploitation, emphasized the severity of Leggett’s crimes, stating that he had used children as objects for his depraved desires, trading and sharing their images without regard for the harm caused. He praised the collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies, which led to the swift identification and arrest of Leggett, ensuring the protection of his victims from further harm. The case exemplified effective information sharing between internet policing units and community police forces.

Emma Lowther, Director of Communications at the Internet Watch Foundation, expressed gratitude for the anonymous tip that initiated the investigation. She highlighted that the websites involved displayed serious depravity, with the intent to trade, sell, and rent children’s images. Thanks to the partnership between the IWF, police, and other agencies, Leggett was arrested within a week of the report and sentenced within four months.

Jim Warnock of the CEOP Centre also commented on the case, noting the excellent cooperation between law enforcement bodies. He underscored that Leggett’s actions demonstrated a complete lack of regard for the impact on his victims and their families, warning others that law enforcement agencies are committed to bringing offenders to justice and protecting vulnerable children from exploitation.