Local man sentenced for child sex offences

Local man sentenced for child sex offences

A local man appeared at Hull Crown Court yesterday, Friday 6 April, for sentencing after a jury found him guilty of 15 child sex offences.

Callum Lewis, 20, of Gemel Road in Burton Pidsea, was found guilty of numerous counts of sexual activity with a child and  possession of indecent images.

His victims were spread across the whole of the East Riding and Hull, which showed a willingness for him to travel around the county, taking them in his car to spots they would be isolated and unable to get away from him.

The court heard how Callum Lewis had identified his victims on social media sites, manipulating them into feeling sorry for him and forcing them into receiving obscene images or sending indecent images.

In some cases, he would persuade them to meet up with him, where he would then sexually abuse them.

DC Nicola Gibbs led this complex case. She said:

“I would like to applaud Callum Lewis’s victims who have been incredibly brave throughout this whole ordeal. I know how difficult it has been to come forward, speak about what had happened and then face the court, so the fact you have all done that is a testament to you and your strength.

“I understand that for victims of sexual abuse, no matter the outcome, something like this will always live with them. However, I do hope now the investigation has drawn to a close and Callum Lewis is behind bars, they feel some sort of closure.

“When we were made aware of Callum Lewis, despite not knowing the true extent of his offending or how many children he had abused, we immediately applied for a sexual risk order.

“This allowed us to conduct every possible enquiry thoroughly, in order for us to present a strong case to the CPS, and identify anyone who had been a victim of his offending, all whilst keeping a watchful eye on him.

“After he moved out of our area, we formed a strong relationship with West Yorkshire Police so that they were able to continue monitoring him whilst our investigation progressed.

“He was caught breaching his court bail conditions twice by trying to obtain further indecent images and was quickly remanded into custody in October 2020. He has remained there since, despite several further bail applications.

“Because of the manipulation that had taken place during these offences, some of these victims weren’t even aware they were victims.

“This isn’t uncommon with offences of this nature, so I would strongly appeal for any child who believes they are being manipulated into doing something they don’t want to, to speak with an adult or friend and report it to us.

“It is never the victim’s fault, and we will always take reports of this nature incredibly seriously to identify those that pose a danger to children.

“Through partnership working with social services and family support teams, the victims and their families in this case have been able to access invaluable support, which is something we offer to all victims of child sexual offences.”

Humberside Police described Callum Lewis as “a man who preyed on and exploited underage girls for his own sexual needs.”