19-Year-Old Student Jailed for Horrific Child and Animal Abuse Images
Ethan Payne, 19, from Tollington Road, N7, was sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Tuesday 2 May. The microbiology student, who also worked part-time in a bakery, was locked up for four years with an additional three-year extension. He faces a decade-long Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will stay on the sex offenders register for life.
Shocking Charges Unveiled
- Three counts of possession of indecent images of children
- Two counts of possession of extreme pornographic images involving animals
- Four counts of distributing indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children
- One count of causing or inciting a boy under 13 to engage in sexual activity
- One count of encouraging or assisting an offence under the Serious Crime Act 2007
Payne pleaded guilty to 10 of 11 charges in November 2022. One charge was later dropped as a duplicate offence.
Disturbing Evidence Recovered
Police uncovered some of the most extreme and disturbing material seen by their unit. Investigators found:
- 430 Category A images (the most severe)
- 247 Category B images
- 125 Category C images
- 157 extreme pornography images
The material was linked to social media platforms Snapchat, Instagram, and Discord, with uploads made between 2021 and 2022. Payne used sophisticated encryption apps to hide his crimes, deleting evidence regularly. Despite this, police seized his laptop and mobile phone, uncovering a trove of horrific content and chat logs revealing his appalling fantasies. He openly expressed preference for “No teens – only babies” and admitted to abusing dogs.
Police Speak Out on Payne’s Danger
Police Constable Lydia Kelly said: “This has been a difficult case. The material we recovered is some of the most extreme and disturbing our unit has ever seen.”
“Payne is a danger to children and animals. His depravity fuels other offenders. It’s right he’s been jailed — his abhorrent behaviour has no place in society.”
Following a warrant executed in October 2022, Payne was arrested at his home. Despite initial denials, his detailed chat logs and video evidence left no doubt about his guilt.
This case sends a clear message: the police will relentlessly pursue and punish those who abuse society’s most vulnerable.
