KEVIN SCRAFTON FROM HEMEL HEMPSTEAD JAILED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND ONLINE SEXUAL EXPLOITATION

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Hemel Hempstead, Kevin Scrafton, a 38-year-old former RAF officer, has been sentenced to prison after a series of heinous online crimes involving the exploitation of minors. The incident, which came to light in November 2017, revealed that Scrafton engaged in a calculated scheme to target vulnerable teenagers through social media platforms, leading to serious legal consequences.

Scrafton, who served as an RAF squadron leader with experience in Afghanistan and Iraq, was found to have created fake profiles on popular social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. These profiles were designed to appear as two 15-year-old girls, a tactic he used to lure teenagers into engaging with him. His objective was to solicit explicit images from these minors and to persuade them to send him indecent photographs in return. The investigation uncovered that he had downloaded photographs from Instagram and used them to craft these fake identities, which he then used to communicate with his victims.

During the court proceedings at the military court centre in Bulford, Wiltshire, it was revealed that Scrafton had targeted a total of ten victims, all between the ages of 15 and 17. One of the victims provided a heartfelt statement, describing the profound impact the ordeal had on her life. She said, “It affected me at school and my grades and it has affected my family and my mum gets upset by talking about it. I feel ashamed and embarrassed.” Another victim reported suffering from depression and engaging in self-harm as a result of the trauma inflicted by Scrafton’s actions.

The court also learned that Scrafton, who was employed as an RAF nurse at the time, had a troubling collection of illicit images stored on his computer. Authorities recovered one Category A image depicting a sexual act between two teenagers who appeared to be consenting, along with three Category B images and fifty-four Category C images showing “erotic posing.” Although Scrafton admitted to possessing these images, he did not offer any explanation for how he came to have them or why he had saved them. Prosecutor Lt Col Graham Coombes stated that Scrafton had downloaded these images from pornographic websites and used them to deceive and manipulate his young victims.

Further details revealed that Scrafton was arrested in November of the previous year. The court was informed that he had been using social media to facilitate his illicit activities, and his actions had been both sophisticated and prolonged. Despite his claims of not having a sexual attraction to the victims and denying any sexual gratification from his conduct, the evidence against him was compelling.

In sentencing, the assistant judge advocate, General Alan Large, described Scrafton as a man of “impeccable character” prior to these events. However, he emphasized that the crimes committed were “sophisticated, devious and prolonged,” and highlighted the dangers posed by the internet, especially when young people engage in highly sexualized conversations with strangers online. The judge made it clear that an immediate custodial sentence was necessary, and as a result, Scrafton was dismissed from Her Majesty’s service. Additionally, it was disclosed that he would receive a pension valued at approximately £23,500 annually, along with a lump sum of £88,214, as part of his military benefits.

This case serves as a stark reminder of the risks associated with online interactions and the importance of safeguarding minors from exploitation and abuse in digital spaces.