Darren Collis, of Rockall Close in Haverhill, appeared at Peterborough Crown Court on Friday 23 October where he was handed an extended licence totalling 17 years, made up of 11 years’ imprisonment and six years on licence. Extended sentences are handed to those who are convicted of serious violent or sexual offences, where an additional period of post-release supervision is required to protect the public. Collis had admitted to the charges against him at an earlier hearing, which included sexual communication with a child, causing a child to watch a sexual act, grooming, arranging/facilitating to meet a child, causing a child to engage in sexual activity, making and distributing indecent images of children. The court heard that in May 2025 Collis started a conversation on Snapchat with someone he believed to be a 14-year-old boy. The boy did not exist and was a fake profile. Despite the ‘boy’ saying he was 14 years’ old, Collis continued the conversation, attempted to engage in sexual conversation and sent explicit images. He also referred to speaking with another boy of the same name who was 13 years’ old. Collis was arrested at Cardinal Park in Ipswich on 28 May 2025 after he arranged to meet the ‘boy’. Following his arrest, officers conducted a search of his property and seized multiple devices for forensic examination. From these devices, police identified further conversations of a sexual nature involving multiple children under 16 years, where Collis sent explicit pictures and videos and attempted to meet them in person. In total, police identified fifteen victims who were contacted by police and appropriate support was put in place where required. In addition to his sentence, Collis was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register and an order was enforced for the destruction of a number of devices belonging to Collis. Detective Sergeant Mark Cotton from the Suffolk Internet Child Abuse Investigation Team: “Darren Collis is a serious, online predator who groomed his victims in order to meet up with children and commit serious sexual offences. “His conviction has come as a result of partnership working with the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU) which work proactively to identify and track online sexual predators. “I would like to thank them and everyone who has worked on this investigation, especially DC Rachael Adams and PSI Josie Phillips whose hard work included identifying and locating victims from across the country. It is a combination of everyone’s efforts that has ensured a dangerous predator is now behind bars. “No family should have to go through what Collis has subjected his survivors to, and I would like to commend the victims and their families for their help and courage in bringing this sexual predator to justice. “We are committed to bringing to justice those who engage in these crimes.” For advice around staying safe online, please visit Online child abuse | Suffolk Constabulary | 
