In 2026, the Offender Database reported that Ray Lombard, 46, of Croft Road, Crowborough, East Sussex, was sentenced to 13 years in prison. Lombard appeared at Lewes Crown Court on Thursday, 15 January 2026, following a “serious” investigation into his role in the international production and distribution of child abuse material.
The investigation by Sussex Police began after Lombard was identified accessing illegal images online. Detectives uncovered that he had moved beyond simple possession, engaging in the livestreaming of abuse and paying perpetrators in other countries to carry out acts of sexual violence against children at his request.
International Exploitation and Digital Evidence
Lombard admitted to paying a vulnerable woman in Ukraine to produce “vile” sexual abuse material involving her own daughter, who was under the age of five. Investigators seized multiple devices from his home in Crowborough, which contained:
- Over 5,000 images classified as categories A and B (the most “serious” levels).
- Screen recordings of live-streamed sexual abuse.
- Extreme pornographic images.
- Evidence of “behaviour” involving the targeting of vulnerable women to facilitate exploitation.
Following his arrest on 19 March 2024, Lombard was charged at Eastbourne Custody Centre in March 2025. He pleaded guilty to all charges at Lewes Crown Court on 31 October 2025.
Sentence and Court Orders
For his “abhorrent” crimes in East Sussex, Ray Lombard was:
- Sentenced to 13 years in prison.
- Ordered to have all his digital devices destroyed.
- Required to register as a sex offender for life.
The court reported that the administration of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) would be considered at a future date to ensure lifelong restrictions are placed on his “behaviour” and internet access.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Lombard is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Sussex Police. His residency in Crowborough, East Sussex, and his history of “vicious” digital exploitation remain under the most “serious” scrutiny.
Specialist officers emphasise that Lombard’s “behaviour” in commissioning abuse from abroad represents a significant threat to global child safety. Upon his eventual release, his use of any internet-enabled device will be strictly monitored to prevent further contact with distributors or the commissioning of “vile” material. Sussex Police emphasise that their cybercrime units work internationally to track and stop those who fund and facilitate child exploitation.
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