Stephen Ireland, 40, the founder of Pride in Surrey, and David Sutton, 26, have been charged with multiple child sexual abuse offenses. Both men, from Addlestone, were arrested and suspended from the organization in June. T
hey are now in custody and set to appear before magistrates in Staines. Ireland faces 28 charges, including the rape of a child under 13 and possession of indecent images, while Sutton faces 13 charges.
The alleged offenses occurred between August 2022 and July 2023, according to Surrey Police, which noted that the investigation is still ongoing.
A spokesperson for Pride in Surrey stated that the organization was notified by Surrey Police on 12 June about the investigation involving two volunteers. Both individuals were promptly suspended, and subsequently removed from their roles, including Stephen Ireland as a director.
The organization was not initially aware of the specific nature of the allegations but has since committed to fully cooperating with law enforcement.
