KYLE AYRES AND SHOCKING SEX OFFENDER SCANDAL AT HAMPSHIRE'S CHESSINGTON WORLD OF ADVENTURES
A convicted sex offender managed to secure employment at the popular theme park, Chessington World of Adventures, located in Surrey, Hampshire, despite having a known history of previous convictions and restrictions.The incident has raised serious concerns about background checks and safeguarding procedures at major entertainment venues.
Kyle Ayres, whose address is listed as Longbridge Road, Bramley, was subject to a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) imposed in December 2020.
This legal restriction was intended to prevent him from engaging in activities that could cause harm to children or vulnerable individuals.
Despite this, he successfully obtained a job as a rides and attractions host at Chessington in March 2022, a position that involved working on various rides and attractions within the park.
Alarmingly, it later emerged that Ayres had lied during the employment application process.
He failed to disclose his previous convictions to his employers, thereby bypassing essential background screening protocols.
He only worked at the theme park for a brief period, specifically on March 5, 11, and 17.
During these shifts, he was directly involved in operational duties on the park's rides.
Authorities confirm that none of the offences for which he is known took place during his employment at Chessington.
In addition to his employment misconduct, Ayres's criminal record includes a range of serious offences.
In May 2022, he was given a community order after police found him in possession of five electronic devices capable of storing images.
When asked to make these devices available for inspection, he refused, which constituted a breach of his court-ordered restrictions.
Ayres, now 20 years old, has a documented history of offenses including breaching his SHPO, producing indecent images of children, failing to adhere to notification requirements while registered as a sex offender, attempting to conduct sexual communications with a minor, and attempting to incite a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity.
The case was heard at Winchester Crown Court on Friday, June 2.
During the proceedings, Judge Angela Morris handed down a sentence of six years' imprisonment, along with an extended three-year supervision period.
Additionally, Ayres is now subject to lifelong notification requirements, meaning he must regularly update authorities about his whereabouts and personal details.
The court was informed that Ayres's employment at Chessington came to light only during a routine meeting with a probation officer.
In that discussion, Ayres claimed to be working with an organization involving young adults and children, describing duties such as placing children in carts, closing doors, and pressing buttons — a vague description that concealed his actual role at the theme park.
Further investigations revealed that Ayres had falsely claimed on his job application form that he had no unspent convictions.
It was also uncovered that in March of the same year, he engaged in online communications with someone he believed to be a 12-year-old girl.
During these interactions, he solicited explicit images and sexual activity, but it was later revealed that he was actually conversing with an undercover police officer.
It was also disclosed that Ayres suffers from Klinefelter syndrome, a genetic condition where a male is born with an extra X chromosome, and he has been diagnosed with autism.
Despite these conditions, Judge Morris expressed concern that Ayres presents a significant ongoing risk of committing further sexual offences, which could cause serious harm to the public.
In response to the incident, a spokesperson for Chessington World of Adventures issued a statement emphasizing their commitment to safety and security.
They explained that upon being informed by the police, the theme park swiftly suspended Ayres from his duties.
The spokesperson highlighted that all employees undergo regular safeguarding training and are subjected to thorough background checks, including DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks in accordance with UK law.
The statement reiterated the park's priority to ensure guest safety, especially for roles involving contact or unsupervised activity with children or vulnerable adults.
Enhanced checks, including barred list screenings, are required before employment begins for such positions, and no staff member is permitted to work alone with children without a valid DBS certificate.
