Peterborough councillor appears in court charged with 26 sexual offences- including rape and sexual activity with a child
An elected member of Peterborough City Council, Rylan Ray, has appeared at Huntingdon Magistrates' Court this afternoon (November 27).
Ray was charged with 26 sexual offences, including one count of rape, sexual activity with a child, sexual assault, possession of prohibited images of children and possession of extreme pornography.
Ray appeared briefly at court before being remanded in custody until a future hearing at Cambridge Crown Court on January 5.
Ray was elected to represent the Eye, Thorney and Newborough ward as a member of the Conservative group in 2022. He is set to remain in his seat for the time being, unless he chooses to resign, due local government legislation.
A city council spokesperson added: “We are aware that Councillor Ray has been charged in connection with a number of serious sexual offences. “At this time, he remains a serving elected member of the council. Under local government legislation disqualification arises only in prescribed circumstances including where a councillor is sentenced to a term of imprisonment of three months or more.”
The Leader of the Conservative Group- of which Ray is part- Councillor Wayne Fitzgerald- declined to comment further than confirming that "In line with our group rules and Conservative party policy Cllr Rylan Ray's membership of the Conservative group on Peterborough City Council and the Conservative party has been suspended with immediate effect."
Councillor Shabina Qayyum, Leader of the Council, said: "I have full faith in the legal process to address the allegations and will not comment on the investigation as it is a live case."