Multiple child sex offenders have been jailed for a combined total of 100 years. The prison sentences were secured following the latest investigations by specialist officers to protect children and young people from abuse.
Kent Police operates dedicated teams across the county which work closely with partners including the National Crime Agency and Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU), to tackle offenders and prevent them from committing sex offences such as grooming, making indecent images of children and rape.
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Roy Humphreys was jailed for 22 years&w=1024&h=600&scale=both&mode=max)
Stephen Rilley was jailed for 19 years&w=1024&h=600&scale=both&mode=max)
Glenn Swanson was jailed for 18 years&w=1024&h=600&scale=both&mode=max)
George Payne-Woodham was jailed for 16 years&w=1024&h=600&scale=both&mode=max)
Lee Balchin was jailed for 15 years&w=1024&h=600&scale=both&mode=max)
Lucifer Hunter was jailed for five years&w=1024&h=600&scale=both&mode=max)
Kevin Scarnell was jailed for two years and eight months&w=1024&h=600&scale=both&mode=max)
Andrew Cullis was jailed for two years and four months
Between 12 September and 17 October 2025, officers ensured justice was served to eight separate sexual predators who had been operating in areas such as Gravesend, Gillingham, Swanley, and Margate.
Roy Humphreys, from Gillingham, was found guilty of abusing two boys in the 1970s and another in the 2000s. The 82 year old was found guilty at Maidstone Crown Court and on 15 October was sentenced to 22 years imprisonment.
Stephen Rilley, from Margate, was found guilty of using threats of violence to silence and maintain control over a victim for nearly two decades starting in the early 2000s. On Thursday 16 October 2025, the 63 year old was sentenced to 19 years’ imprisonment and will serve an additional three years on licence under the terms of an extended sentence.
Glenn Swanson, formerly of Gravesend, was already serving a jail term for child sex offences when another victim came forward. On 22 September, the 63 year old was sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment at Maidstone Crown Court. He will serve this in addition to his current custodial term.
George Payne-Woodham, formerly of Grange Road in Gillingham, subjected a child to sexual abuse over several years. The 21 year old was convicted after a trial and sentenced to 16 years’ imprisonment at Maidstone Crown Court on Friday 12 September. He will serve an additional four years on licence under the terms of an extended sentence.
Lee Balchin, from East Malling, was found guilty of regularly plying a child with alcohol and drugs to render them nearly unconscious before raping them. The 55 year old was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court to 15 years’ imprisonment on Monday 13 October 2025.
Detective Superintendent Edward Ruffle said:
‘Humphreys, Rilley, Swanson, Payne-Woodham, and Balchin all committed heinous crimes against vulnerable young people, sexually assaulting them over sustained periods of time for their own selfish gratification. ‘In these cases, it is often the bravery of victims making a disclosure about abuse that leads to justice being served. Following an initial report, officers work swiftly to arrest the suspect and commence an investigation. In taking this step, the wider public and other potential victims are safeguarded and – in some instances – crucial evidence is preserved.’
Other recent successful investigations include:
Online abuse
Lucifer Hunter, from Folkestone, was found guilty of pretending to be a 16 year old boy to groom four young victims on social media. The 24 year old was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment at Canterbury Crown Court on 17 October and has been made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 15 years.
Kevin Scarnell, from Camden, used dating and social media apps to bombard a what he believed to be a teenage boy daily with sexually explicit messages and arranged to meet him for sex. He was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court on 16 October to two years and eight months’ imprisonment.
Andrew Cullis, from Swanley, was found to be in possession of a USB containing explicit images of children during a routine sex offender management check in February 2025. The 43 year old was sentenced to two years and four months’ imprisonment at Maidstone Crown Court on 17 October.
Relentless investigations
Detective Superintendent Edward Ruffle added:
‘Kent Police takes all reports of child sex offences seriously, carrying out thorough and relentless investigations to bring offenders to justice. We acknowledge it can be incredibly daunting and traumatic to report such offences and hold immense gratitude to those who feel able to support our teams in securing convictions. We hope the custodial sentences offer them some comfort. As a force, we encourage victims to carry on reporting offences with confidence and rest in the knowledge that we endeavour to provide the best possible service.’