Ferring truck driver paid for children to be 'abducted, drugged and raped' so he could watch it online

A truck driver from Ferring who paid for Filipino children to be abducted, drugged and raped so he would watch the videos online has been jailed, police said.
Alan Porter, 58, a lorry driver, from Onslow Drive, Ferring. Picture: Sussex PoliceAlan Porter, 58, a lorry driver, from Onslow Drive, Ferring. Picture: Sussex Police
Alan Porter, 58, a lorry driver, from Onslow Drive, Ferring. Picture: Sussex Police

Alan Porter, 58, a lorry driver, of Onslow Drive, Ferring, was given a 21-year prison sentence at Hove Crown Court on Friday (12 July) having previously pleaded guilty to or been convicted of 17 offences.

According to Sussex Police, he also arranged to rape and sexually abuse street children during future visits to the Philippines.

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Detective Constable Jackie Keogh is from the Sussex Police Paedophile Online Investigation Team, which launched the investigation that led to Porter appearing in court.

Alan Porter, 58, a lorry driver, from Onslow Drive, Ferring. Picture: Sussex PoliceAlan Porter, 58, a lorry driver, from Onslow Drive, Ferring. Picture: Sussex Police
Alan Porter, 58, a lorry driver, from Onslow Drive, Ferring. Picture: Sussex Police

He said: "This appalling offending came to light in 2017 when we received an anonymous letter and a memory card. The letter said Porter had been going to the Philippines for the past 30 years and there had been 'talk of rape and drugging street children on his next visit', and grooming of various children 'as young as seven'.

"We immediately started to investigate and it became clear that he also asked to engage in sexual acts with several children during future trips. These included a 15-year-old girl whose virginity he was offered for £280.

"When we searched his address, we found, in addition to his computers and related devices, a suitcase full of chocolate bars and Cadbury’s Creme Eggs, clearly in preparation to attract young victims on a trip out there that he was actively planning.

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"This was a very distressing case. It became clear that over a period of years Porter was systematically exploiting vulnerable young children in the Philippines for his own perverted sexual gratification. We are glad that following our very complex investigation he has now been brought to justice and will be out of circulation for a very long time."

Porter was convicted of four offences of arranging sexual activity involving a child; seven offences of child sexual exploitation; two offences of making indecent sexual images of children; one of paying for sexual services of a girl under-13 and three of paying for sexual services of young boys, police said.

Porter will be a registered sex offender indefinitely and will have to serve two-thirds of his sentence before being eligible to apply for parole, Sussex Police added.