by Jo Bartosch, spiked
LGBT groups are blind to the wrong ’uns in their midst.
Sexual predators don’t come with a flashing neon sign, but there are often clues. Adults who seek to blur boundaries around children’s safety – particularly those who are quick to dismiss concerns over safeguarding as ‘transphobia’ – deserve to be heavily scrutinised. The conviction of Stephen Ireland, co-founder of Pride in Surrey, is a stark reminder of why such vigilance is necessary.
This week, proud trans activist Ireland was convicted of raping a 12-year-old boy he met on Grindr, a gay dating app. He was also found guilty of three counts of causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, one count of sexual assault of a child under 13, and six counts of making indecent images of children. Ireland’s partner, David Sutton, was convicted of making indecent images of children and possessing extreme pornography. Messages exchanged between the pair, revealed during the trial, were deeply disturbing, detailing plans for child abduction and abuse.
Sutton had previously volunteered with Pride in Surrey, and Ireland was an influential figure within the LGBT community. He enjoyed a position as a patron of the now defunct charity, Educate and Celebrate – an organisation that offered trans-inclusive resources and training to nurseries, schools and colleges.
Pride in Surrey has condemned Ireland’s actions, saying it remains ‘committed to prioritising the safety and wellbeing of our community’. But it is not the LGBT community that needs to be safeguarded – it is the children targeted by men like Ireland and Sutton.
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