UK: LGBTQ+ organization founder and J.K. Rowling critic sentenced to 30 years in prison for child rape

Stephen Ireland, 41, co-founder of the LGBTQ+ group, Pride in Surrey, and known for his social media attacks on Harry Potter writer J.K. Rowling, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison in the United Kingdom for multiple sexual offenses against a minor.

The conviction, handed down by Guildford Crown Court, brings to an end a case that has shocked public opinion.

Ireland, arrested in April 2024 along with his ex-partner David Sutton, was found guilty of raping a 12-year-old boy in the apartment they shared.

According to the BBC, prosecutors presented text messages showing Ireland was fully aware of the victim's age, belying any claim of consent.

In addition to rape, Ireland and Sutton were convicted of a number of additional charges, including three counts of enticing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, sexual assault, voyeurism, organizing a child sex offense and possession of prohibited images of minors.

Judge Patricia Lees, in charge of the case, harshly criticized the defendants for "taking advantage" of a minor in a vulnerable situation and for preparing his continued sexual exploitation. “Far from finding that repugnant, you found that exciting, and sought to do it again,” Lees said during the hearing, according to BBC reports.

The case has also attracted attention because of Ireland's public activity as an LGBTQ+ activist and his open hostility toward J.K. Rowling. The Harry Potter author, known for her views on women's rights and her opposition to certain policies, was the target of repeated social media attacks by Ireland.

In a recent post on X, Rowling commented on the conviction, “Stephen Ireland, who targeted me with endless abuse on here because I oppose the chemical castration of children and the removal of protected spaces for women and girls, has just been sentenced to 30 years in jail for child rape.”