Locations
Wellingborough, North Northamptonshire
Description
A Wellingborough man has been imprisoned on the Falkland Islands after he admitted sexually abusing children there. Officials obtained an extradition order to return Ryan Martin Elstow to the island to face justice.
However, the former RAF serviceman voluntarily travelled the 8,000 miles to the British overseas territory and pleaded guilty to a number of offences against children. His lawyer said his actions displayed "rank indifference" to his victims' suffering.
Elstow, 35, is believed to have returned to Northamptonshire in recent years to start a new life. However, following an investigation by the Royal Falkland Islands Police, he was charged last year with eight counts of 'sexual activity with a child', contrary to the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
In April last year, officials formerly requested the UK extradite Elstow so he could stand trial. But he voluntarily returned to the Falklands and appeared in the islands' only magistrate's court where he pleaded guilty to seven of the offences, denying the eighth related charge.
Senior Magistrate Malcolm Simmons found him guilty of that offence in November. Elstow was sentenced in the same court last Wednesday, January 11, to a total of seven years imprisonment
Speaking at the sentencing, Elstow's lawyer, James Ross, admitted his client's behaviour displayed "rank indifference to the suffering of others", according to Penguin News. However, in mitigation, Mr Ross said said Elstow had pleaded guilty to seven of the counts, had volunteered to appear in court and had "experienced real trauma" while serving with the RAF in Afghanistan.
A spokesperson from the Falkland Islands Prosecution Service told NorthantsLive: "The defendant will serve his sentence in His Majestys Prison Stanley and is likely to be deported to the United Kingdom at the conclusion of the sentence." The islands' prison population is in single figures.