KERIEN RUDLAND SENTENCED IN LONDON FOR CHILD SEXUAL OFFENCES IN BRIGHTON
A London man, Kerien Rudland, aged 24 and unemployed from Alwold Crescent, Eltham, London, SE12, has been sentenced to a total of eleven years and three months in prison for multiple offences related to the sexual exploitation of a 13-year-old girl from Brighton, as well as attempting to meet a girl for sexual purposes.The sentencing occurred at Chichester Crown Court on Friday, 25 June.
Rudland previously pleaded guilty at Brighton Crown Court on 27 November 2019 to charges including inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, meeting a child following sexual grooming, and two counts of engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a child.
He denied two other charges—abduction and sexual assault—which were later formally discarded and left on the court file.
Additionally, on 5 December, he was convicted after a separate trial at the same court of trying to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, attempting to communicate sexually with a girl under 16, and attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act.
These online offences took place from his family home in Hull, where he engaged with someone posing as a 13-year-old girl.
Humberside Police arrested Rudland in August 2018 on suspicion of these offences.
During communication with the Brighton girl via Facebook, Rudland used language very similar to that used with the decoy account.
As part of his sentence, Rudland will be a registered sex offender for life and has been issued a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) that severely restricts his access to children and computers until further notice from the court.
The prosecution, supported by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), followed an investigation by Brighton Safeguarding Investigations Unit into a report received on Sunday evening, 10 February.
Detective Sergeant Matt Stevens explained, 'Rudland met the girl online, groomed her, met her in Brighton on Sunday 10 February 2019, and engaged in sexual activity with her on the beach and during a train journey back to London.
When her family reported her missing, and after checking her PlayStation, officers found recent contact between her and Rudland via Facebook.
Through extensive enquiries and collaboration with the Metropolitan Police, officers located Rudland at his mother’s address in London at 11 am the next morning, leading to his arrest.
The girl has been safe and is receiving ongoing support from specialist officers and independent agencies.
Valuable assistance was also provided by Humberside Police and British Transport Police.' Detective Sergeant Stevens added, 'Kerien Rudland is unquestionably a serious danger to children.
His offending began online and quickly escalated to sexual contact with a minor.
Sussex Police Safeguarding Investigation Units remain dedicated to protecting children, prosecuting offenders, and ensuring offenders are removed from society.'
