JK Rowling has hit back after discovering that Stephen Ireland — a former LGBTQ+ activist who relentlessly attacked her online — has been sentenced to 24 years in prison for raping a 12-year-old boy.
Ireland, 42, co-founded Pride in Surrey and positioned himself as a champion for LGBTQ+ youth. But in April 2024, he was convicted of sexually abusing a child he groomed on the gay dating app Grindr. The boy, referred to as “Child A” in court, was lured to a flat where Ireland drugged and raped him, with the help of 27-year-old David Sutton, who received a four-and-a-half-year sentence.
Despite presenting himself as an advocate for queer rights, Ireland had a disturbing private life that included possession of child pornography, grooming minors, and arranging sexual contact with underage boys. He and Sutton were found guilty of multiple offenses including voyeurism, facilitating child sex abuse, and holding prohibited images of children.
What makes the case even more shocking is that Ireland was a vocal critic of Rowling. In 2020, he publicly branded her a “TERF” (trans-exclusionary radical feminist) for questioning gender-inclusive language such as “people who menstruate.” He continued harassing her on social media for years, joining thousands who labeled her dangerous and bigoted for expressing views about biological sex and women’s rights.
Following his conviction, Rowling posted on X (formerly Twitter):
“Stephen Ireland, who targeted me with endless abuse on here because I oppose the chemical castration of children and the removal of protected spaces for women and girls, has just been sentenced to 30 years in jail for child rape.”
(While the actual sentence was 24 years, not 30, the error doesn’t change the gravity of the case.)
At Guildford Crown Court on June 30, disturbing details emerged. The victim had initially claimed to be 17, but later admitted to being 13. Ireland’s response: “OK – we just have to keep it a secret.”
Judge Patricia Lees, in a damning summation, told Ireland:
“Far from finding that repugnant, you found that exciting, and sought to do it again.”
Ireland referred to the boy in messages as a “14-year-old baby” who “wants to play with men’s bodies.” He also sent explicit images of the child to Sutton and asked if the boy would join them for a threesome.
The court heard that the pair played pornographic videos during the assault, used a bong laced with methamphetamine, and sent each other lewd messages afterward. The boy, who had been reported missing, later disclosed the rape to police.
Judge Lees said Ireland’s involvement in Surrey Pride gave him insight into how to exploit vulnerable young people. She noted that Child A was clearly highly sexualized and likely already a victim of early grooming by adult men — facts that Ireland clearly recognized and deliberately exploited.
In a follow-up post, Rowling linked Ireland’s case to that of another abusive man:
“[Sutton] follows in the footsteps of trans-identified man Lexi Secker, who also sent me reams of abuse on here, especially for my belief that women should have single-sex spaces and rape crisis centres. Mr Secker has since been sentenced to six and a half years in jail for rape.”
Secker, born Alexander Secker, was a father of two and also obsessed with Rowling. He routinely attacked her online, as well as other gender-critical women like MP Rosie Duffield. His case further fuels Rowling’s argument: that behind the veil of progressive activism, some individuals are weaponizing identity politics to mask predatory behavior.
The convictions of Ireland, Sutton, and Secker have reignited discussions around the dangers of virtue signaling, the silencing of women raising safeguarding concerns, and the increasing use of identity as a shield against scrutiny.
Rowling, who has consistently argued for the protection of women and children, says these cases prove that her critics aren’t always motivated by justice — and that some are deeply dangerous.
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