Hatfield man jailed for child sex offences after police investigation
Calin Rus sentenced to four years and eight months at St Albans Crown Court
A Hatfield man has been sentenced to four years and eight months behind bars after admitting to child sex offences.
Calin Rus, 47, appeared at St Albans Crown Court on 23rd January 2026 for sentencing, following his guilty pleas to three charges at a hearing last September: attempting to arrange/facilitate sexual activity with a child under 13, possession and distribution of indecent images of a child, and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.
Alongside the jail term, Rus will be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order upon his release.
Rus came to the attention of Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Child Online Safeguarding Team after intelligence from the National Crime Agency revealed that the user of a Snapchat account had uploaded material showing child sexual abuse.
He engaged with another adult user online, believing he was arranging to watch the live-streamed sexual abuse of a 10-year-old girl. Rus was arrested in connection with the offences at a commercial premises in Hatfield on 14th August 2025 and remanded into custody the following day.
Investigator Julia Stone said: “Rus discussed in very graphic terms the sexual abuse of a 10-year-old child and attempted to minimise his behaviour by describing it as fantasy.”
She continued: “In a well-coordinated joint approach with other law enforcement agencies, the Child Online Safeguarding Team were able to quickly locate Rus and arrest him just as he was preparing to watch the abuse live.
“All online sexual offences against children cause lasting harm to victims and families, and they place heavy demands on safeguarding and justice systems. They also undermine trust in online spaces and can fuel wider criminal activity across the world.”
Details on how to help children stay safe online can be found via Hertfordshire Constabulary’s website or Get Safe Online.
If you are a victim of child abuse or are concerned for a child’s wellbeing, you can report your concerns to police".