CROWHOROUGH PREACHER RODNEY CRUSE SENT BACK TO PRISON FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES

In a disturbing development, Rodney Cruse, a former lay preacher from Crowborough, has been re-incarcerated following his recent reoffending related to child exploitation images. Cruse, aged 67 and residing on Whitehill Road in Crowborough, was handed a two-year prison sentence after he pleaded guilty to new charges involving the possession of indecent photographs of a child.

Cruse's criminal history includes a previous six-month sentence at Lewes Prison, where he was convicted of possessing approximately 5,000 indecent images of children. His latest conviction stems from his admission to 12 counts of possessing indecent photographs of a minor, along with an admission of breaching a sexual offence prevention order that had been previously imposed on him.

The court proceedings took place at Hove Crown Court on August 7, where Cruse was sentenced to two years for each of the image-related charges and an additional 12 months for violating the sexual offence prevention order. All sentences are to be served concurrently, meaning he will serve the maximum of two years.

Cruse's reoffending has shocked many within his community and those who knew him through his religious activities. Close associates expressed their disbelief and distress at his actions. George Rabey, a pastor at the Five Ash Down Independent Chapel where Cruse regularly attended prayer meetings, voiced his dismay: "This is absolutely terrible. I just can't understand it. When he came here, I had never thought anything like this. We accepted him as someone who loved the Lord. It’s terribly sad."

Rabey also shared that he had been sending Cruse messages inspired by 19th-century preacher Charles Spurgeon as acts of encouragement, which he believed Cruse appreciated. However, Rabey admitted to being unaware of Cruse's recent whereabouts or state of mind, stating, "I have never heard from him in the past three months. I just do not know what to say. I feel so very sad about what has happened. I will just pray for him."

Another community member, Clive Beesley, who used to attend Cruse's prayer meetings with his wife Rita, expressed his shock: "My wife and I used to say after the service about Rodney, 'What an upright and honest citizen. If only I could have an ounce of his goodness.' We never suspected anything at all. When the first offence happened, we dropped him like a stone brick. We didn’t want anything to do with him. I am very surprised he has done it again. I just don’t understand why a person like that goes off the rails. We all do things wrong, but to do it twice in the same category is beyond belief."

Cruse's case highlights the ongoing concerns about individuals with a history of sexual offences and their potential for reoffending, especially within close-knit communities where trust and reputation are highly valued. His return to prison underscores the importance of vigilant monitoring and the challenges faced in preventing recidivism among sex offenders.