A paedophile who encouraged the rape and sexual assault of a baby has been jailed for 21 years.
Keith Edun, 47, from Croydon, London, used social media app ‘Kik’ to share and make indecent images of children and to communicate with the man he encouraged to rape a baby in 2020.
Edun was also found to have perverted the court of justice at Croydon Crown Court on Friday, 14 February, 2025.
The 47-year-old was tracked down after Met Police detectives launched an investigation into sexual abuse and the exploitation of children in 2021.
After being informed that indecent images of children were being shared on the social media app, the account sharing them was tracked to Edun’s address on Croydon’s Strathmore Road.
A separate investigation by another force led to the conviction of a male for the rape of a baby which occurred in March 2020, which was also linked to Edun’s Kik account.
During the communications, police discovered Edun had encouraged the male to commit the rape, and he was charged and remanded into custody in October 2023.
After his devices were seized, officers downloaded data showing that the 47-year-old had been downloading and then deleting the app in an attempt to hide his online activity.
He appeared at Croydon Crown Court on Friday, 14 February where he was sentenced to 13 years in custody with an extended licence period of eight years following his assessment as a dangerous offender.
Edun was also issued with a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.
The judge said that the evidence shows a determined and committed sexual interest in children, especially babies, over an extended period and that he poses a significant risk of harm to children.
Detective Constable Phill Govett, investigating officer for the case said: ‘Keith Edun has proven himself to be a dangerous sexual offender and a clear risk to children.
‘Edun went to great lengths to hide his offending, even deleting a messaging app from his phone before answering the front door to officers ready to search his address.
‘This complex investigation has consisted of meticulous enquiries and digital forensic examination of the disturbing material that Edun held on his phone.
‘The fact that Edun will now be behind bars for a long time, means he cannot harm any more vulnerable children.
‘This investigation is an example of the dedication of the Met’s Online Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Command to keep vulnerable children safe across the UK.
‘Despite Edun not being physically present at the rape, this sentencing shows that those who encourage such offences online are just as culpable for the harm caused.’