In October 2026, a 57-year-old man from Haverhill was sentenced to an extended term of 17 years at Peterborough Crown Court after pleading guilty to 30 child sexual offences spanning 15 identified victims.
Darren Collis, of Rockall Close, Haverhill, appeared for sentencing on Friday 23 October 2026 after previously entering guilty pleas to the comprehensive 30-count indictment.
The prosecution outlined that in May 2025, Collis initiated contact across the social media platform Snapchat with an account he believed to be operated by a 14-year-old boy. Despite the user profile stating an age of 14, Collis maintained persistent communication, sent explicit imagery, and attempted to steer discussions into sexual topics. During the exchanges, Collis also made reference to communicating with another 13-year-old boy.
Collis arranged to meet the child in person and travelled to Cardinal Park in Ipswich on 28 May 2025, where waiting police officers placed him under arrest.
Following the apprehension, detectives carried out a search of Collis’s residence, seizing multiple mobile phones, computers, and digital storage media. Forensic examination of the devices revealed extensive evidence of grooming behaviour and sexually explicit communications directed at multiple children under the age of 16. The files demonstrated that Collis routinely distributed explicit videos and photographs while attempting to coordinate in-person encounters. In total, detectives identified 15 child victims, coordinating with safeguarding partners to provide ongoing support.
Collis entered guilty pleas to 30 offences, including:
Sexual communication with a child
Causing a child to watch a sexual act
Grooming
Arranging or facilitating to meet a child
Causing a child to engage in sexual activity
Making and distributing indecent images of children
Passing sentence, the Crown Court judge concluded that Collis represented a substantial risk of serious harm to young people, warranting an extended sentence under dangerous offender legislation.
The court imposed an extended sentence of 17 years, made up of a custodial term of 11 years’ imprisonment followed by an extended licence period of six years. Under statutory provisions for extended determinate sentences, Collis must serve at least two-thirds of the custodial period in prison before being considered for release on licence by the Parole Board.
The judge further ordered that Collis be subject to indefinite notification requirements on the Sex Offenders Register for the remainder of his life, alongside an order under the Police (Property) Act for the confiscation and destruction of his electronic equipment.
Image – Police Custody Photo
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