Peterborough City councillor charged with 26 child sex offences

A city councillor has appeared in court charged with 26 child sex offences.

Rylan Ray, 25, of Westgate, Peterborough, who is a Conservative representative for Eye, Thorney and Newborough on Peterborough City Council, appeared at Luton Magistrates’ Court earlier.

He was remanded in custody and is due to appear at Cambridge Crown Court on 5 January.

The Conservative Party has confirmed that he has been suspended “with immediate effect”.

Mr Ray has been charged with one count of rape, three counts of making an indecent image of children, one count of possession of prohibited images of children and one count of possession of extreme pornography.

He has also been charged with one count of sexual activity with a child under 16, two counts of causing a child under 16 to engage in sexual activity, six counts of causing a child to watch a sexual act, three counts of sexual assault, four counts of sexual communication with a child and four counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

He was first elected as a Conservative city councillor in Peterborough in 2022.

A spokesperson for Peterborough City Council said: “We are aware that Councillor Ray has been charged in connection with a number of serious sexual offences.

“At this time, he remains a serving elected member of the council. Under local government legislation disqualification arises only in prescribed circumstances including where a councillor is sentenced to a term of imprisonment of three months or more.”