East Riding man jailed for child sex offences
WARNING: Some readers may find the content of this article distressing.
Last updated 16th Apr 2021
A man from a village in the East Riding of Yorkshire has been sentenced to six years in prison, after being found guilty of 15 child sex offences.
Hull Crown Court heard how Callum Lewis, of Gemel Road in Burton Pidsea, contacted his victims via social media.
The 20-year-old manipulated his victims into feeling sorry for him, and forced them into sending or receiving indecent images.
In some cases, he met up with victims across Hull and the East Riding. Humberside Police say that showed a willingness to travel around the county.
He would drive them in his car to spots , where they would be isolated, and unable to get away from him.
DC Nicola Gibbs from the force's Protecting Vulnerable People Unit, 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.
"You will be listened to and we will continue to take action against offenders."