VIDEO OF ARREST: Crowborough Man Jailed for 13 Years for Serious Child Sexual Offences

A man from Crowborough has been sentenced to 13 years in prison after being convicted of multiple serious child sexual offences. Ray Lombard, 46, of Croft Road, Crowborough, was sentenced at Lewes Crown Court on Thursday 15 January 2026 after pleading guilty to a series of offences involving the sexual exploitation of children. The offences […]

A man from Crowborough has been sentenced to 13 years in prison after being convicted of multiple serious child sexual offences.

Ray Lombard, 46, of Croft Road, Crowborough, was sentenced at Lewes Crown Court on Thursday 15 January 2026 after pleading guilty to a series of offences involving the sexual exploitation of children.

The offences included producing and possessing child abuse material, inciting a child under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity, and arranging and facilitating child sex offences.

Sussex Police said Lombard was identified after accessing child abuse images online. Investigators found he had livestreamed child abuse, arranged sexual abuse at his request, paid perpetrators, and engaged in online discussions about paedophilia and child exploitation.

During the investigation, officers seized multiple devices which were found to contain more than 5,000 child abuse images, including the most serious Category A and B material, as well as extreme pornographic images. Police also discovered screen recordings documenting the live streaming of child sexual abuse.

Lombard admitted to paying a vulnerable woman in Ukraine to produce child sexual abuse material involving her daughter, who was under the age of five.

He was arrested on 19 March 2024 and later charged at Eastbourne Custody Centre on 12 March 2025 with multiple offences, including making indecent images of children, arranging and facilitating child sex offences, inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity — including penetration — and possessing extreme pornographic images.

Lombard appeared at Lewes Crown Court on 31 October 2025, where he pleaded guilty to all charges.

In addition to the prison sentence, the court ordered the destruction of all devices seized, with the administration of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order to be considered at a later date.

Detective Sergeant David Rose, from Sussex Police’s Online Child Abuse Team, said Lombard’s behaviour was “abhorrent” and highlighted the real dangers posed online to children.

“These crimes represent a profound abuse of trust and a complete disregard for the safety, dignity and wellbeing of some of the most vulnerable members of society,” he said.

Sussex Police said the Online Child Abuse Team continues to work with partners to identify offenders, disrupt online abuse, and educate parents and carers on keeping children safe online.

Anyone with concerns about online safety is encouraged to seek official guidance and support.