PAUL BREWSTER/RAVEN RAN’LO FROM SHELTON JAILED FOR CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN STOKE-ON-TRENT

In December 2016, Raven Ran’lo, who had previously changed his name from Paul Brewster, was sentenced to four years in prison after being found guilty of possessing indecent images of children. The case unfolded in Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, revealing a disturbing pattern of offending that occurred shortly after his release from prison.

Ran’lo, aged 38, had been released in October 2014 following a 22-month incarceration for similar crimes involving the creation and distribution of child abuse images. Despite his release, he resumed his illegal activities within weeks, downloading nearly 400 additional photographs and videos depicting children as young as five years old.

The police became involved in the case in November 2014, when officers responded to a tip-off indicating that Ran’lo had been in contact with another known sex offender. Authorities visited his residence on Snow Hill in Shelton, where they seized a mobile phone for examination. Prosecutor Charles Crinion explained that during questioning, Ran’lo admitted to engaging in sexually explicit conversations with the other individual, describing these exchanges as mere fantasy.

An analysis of the seized mobile phone uncovered a total of seven indecent images, three of which were classified as Category A, the most severe classification for child abuse images. Further investigations in December 2014, while Ran’lo was on bail for the initial offences, led to the seizure of a second mobile phone. This device contained a chat conversation in which Ran’lo pretended to be a young girl, alongside a significant number of indecent images of children.

The second phone held 67 images and videos categorized as Category A, 66 as Category B, and 280 as Category C. Ran’lo, a resident of Snow Hill, Shelton, pleaded guilty to nine counts of making indecent images of children. His legal representative, Jason Holt, stated that Ran’lo acknowledged the likelihood of imprisonment and expressed that incarceration might provide him with a sense of security, as he had been living in fear within the community. Holt also emphasized Ran’lo’s willingness to work with the Probation Service to address his problematic behavior.

Judge Stephen Thomas, presiding over the case, sentenced Ran’lo to four years in prison. The judge remarked that only an immediate custodial sentence was appropriate given Ran’lo’s criminal history and the seriousness of the offences. He highlighted the gravity of the case, noting Ran’lo’s unfortunate record of similar crimes, and emphasized the importance of protecting the public from such offenders.