A former Peterborough city councillor has been convicted of rape and a series of sexual offences against children, having exploited his position as an Army Cadet Force (ACF) detachment commander to contact victims.
Rylan Ray, 26, was found guilty at Ipswich Crown Court following a 24-day trial. Jurors determined he was guilty of 23 further offences, in addition to those he had already admitted.
Fake Profile Used to Contact Victims
The court heard how Ray used a fake social media profile of a teenage girl named 'Chelsie' to contact children without suspicion. Through this account, he encouraged them to engage in Snapchat conversations and share intimate images.
His deception was uncovered when a victim contacted 'Chelsie' and Ray answered the call, revealing he was an adult male.
The offences, involving 11 different victims, came to light in 2025 after parents reported drinking and other behaviour issues to the ACF relating to two 16th birthday parties held at Ray's home. When enquiries were made, several children disclosed the sexual messages they had received from Ray, who also served in the Combined Cadet Force (CCF) at Stanground Academy and Nene Park Academy schools in Peterborough.
Investigation and Arrest
Cambridgeshire Police became aware of the reports in May last year and began an investigation. Some children told the force they had been sexually assaulted in addition to receiving sexual messages.
Photos of 'Chelsie', including the Snapchat icon, were found on Ray's phone alongside intimate images of six victims sent to the fake accounts. Another fake account was also linked back to his flat via an IP address.
The force also found that Ray had told a 16-year-old, known to him from the cadets, that he would meet him on nights out and claimed to be a Peterborough licensing officer who could get him into clubs without ID.
Ray, of Westgate, Peterborough, was arrested in May 2025. In his police interview, he said he "may have" become involved in conversations that were unwise in his position as cadet leader but were not sexually motivated. He later said he was "truly shocked and disgusted" at some accusations that had "ruined his career" before answering 'no comment' to further questioning.
In later interviews, he admitted to receiving topless images of a child and that some messages turned sexual, but claimed he never actively encouraged it. However, he was also found to have sent an intimate photograph of his penis to the same young boy alongside pornography.
Sentencing Set for January
Ray was originally charged with 25 offences until another victim came forward, saying he had been raped after meeting Ray on a night out in Peterborough in 2019.
Ray pleaded guilty to two counts of causing or inciting a boy aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity, and causing a child aged 13 to 15 to look at an image of sexual activity. During the trial, he admitted a further two offences of making indecent images of children.
The charges for which he will be sentenced include rape of a man aged 16 or over, engaging in non-penetrative sexual activity with a boy aged 13 to 15, five counts of engaging in sexual communication with a child, five counts of causing a child aged 13 to 15 to watch or look at an image of sexual activity, three counts of sexual assault, three counts of causing or inciting a boy aged 13 to 15 to engage in non-penetrative sexual activity, one count of causing or inciting a boy aged 13 to 15 to engage in penetrative sexual activity, three counts of making indecent photos of a child, and one count of possessing an extreme pornographic image portraying rape.
Detective Constable Gordon Logan, who investigated, said: "The roles Ray held allowed him trusted access to young people, and he seized these opportunities to abuse them sexually.
"We would like to praise the bravery of the children involved in confiding in others what had happened to them. Doing so takes a lot of courage but it was so important that they did, because we then began investigating.
"Many of the victims involved felt they had no choice but to engage in the chats with Ray. In an increasingly digital world, mobile phones and social media mean children can be vulnerable to those who prey on their innocence and exploit their trust.
"We encourage all members of the public to be aware of adults who pay an unusual amount of attention to a child – no matter their profession. Sharing any concerns, no matter how small, can make all the difference."
Ray will be sentenced on January 8 next year.
