Man who posed as a 14-year-old to groom child online jailed

Terence Raymond Lewis, (10/05/1988) of Bolton Street, Blackpool has been jailed for 9 years and 9 months with an extended 3 year licence period, following a comprehensive investigation by our Child Protection Investigation Unit in Stockport.

On Monday 12 June 2024, Lewis pleaded guilty to 19 counts of child sexual offences including one count of meeting a child following online grooming, one count of abducting a child, two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, four counts of causing a child to watch a sexual act, five counts of sexual activity with a child, and six counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

On Sunday 7 January 2024, a hotel receptionist alerted police in Stockport that an older man had checked in with a young girl, and it seemed suspicious. 

Thanks to the diligence of the receptionist, police were immediately at the scene and were able to arrest Lewis, and ensure the young girl was appropriately safeguarded and supported by specialist partner agencies. Following his arrest, he was charged with three offences and remanded to prison.

Lewis heinously groomed the 14-year-old girl over an online children’s chat forum, starting when she was just 11 years old, where he concealed his true identity, posing as a 14-year-old, using another child’s photographs under a false name.

An investigation was launched by our specialist safeguarding officers and the true extent of his offending was uncovered. After reviewing tens of thousands of text messages, police recovered thousands of images from his mobile devices and he was further charged with 16 additional offences.

In this case, the victim felt unable to fully disclose the abuse Lewis subjected her to, but our relentless officers pursued him regardless, and despite this being a victimless prosecution, we were able to bring Lewis to justice for his deplorable crimes.

Police Constable Kenneally from our Stockport’s Child Protection Investigation Unit, said: “Throughout our investigation Lewis has shown himself to be a narcissistic, callous predator. His sentence today reflects the severity of his offences, and the significant trauma and abuse he subjected the victim to.

“I hope his sentence sends a clear message to other offenders that they will be caught and put before the courts, we hope that it encourages other victims of sexual offences to come forward and report them to us”.

Detective Chief Inspector Ian Wrench from our Stockport district said: “We know that coming forward to the police isn’t always easy, and we are working tirelessly to improve the trust and confidence that the public and victims and survivors have in us. I hope from this investigation, anyone who has been a victim of crime, or has experienced abuse or exploitation knows that whenever they are ready to come forward, we will support them.

“We have specialist officers across the force, and we work closely with several partner agencies, who will support you and ensure you get the help and care you need.”

Gillian Petrovic, Senior Crown Prosecutor for the North West Rape and Serious Sexual offences Unit, said: “Terence Lewis is a dangerous sexual predator who preyed on a vulnerable young girl.

“He groomed her, initially masquerading as a teenage boy and using fake images to lure her into communicating with him. He continued to use a false name to disguise his true identity even after they met.   

“The Crown Prosecution Service worked with the police to build a strong case, including using phone and medical evidence, which meant Lewis had little option but to admit to his actions.

“Child sexual exploitation can cause lifelong physical and emotional trauma, and our thoughts remain with the young victim in this case.  

“We will continue to work closely with the police to relentlessly pursue justice and prosecute those who seek to commit such abhorrent offences.”

At sentencing, Judge Bernadette Baxter commented: “I have no doubt you would have continued offending had you not been caught. The hotel staff should be commended for their actions.”

Hotel employees are uniquely positioned to identify and act on signs of child sexual exploitation, making their vigilance and training essential. By recognising suspicious behaviours and taking swift, appropriate action, they are able to help safeguard children and disrupt exploitation.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has been recognised as one of the forces leading the way with the implementation of Operation Makesafe – a national initiative which aims to prevent child sexual exploitation from occurring within the hospitality sector through engagement, education, and test purchasing.

Under Operation Makesafe, the bespoke training sessions seek to support hoteliers to identify potential victims of child exploitation and, where necessary, how to alert police officers so they can intervene before any young person comes to harm. By increasing awareness of the indicators of exploitation, we can better prepare businesses to recognise the signs and empower them to report their concerns to us.

Find out more here: Hotels and businesses play major role in safeguarding children in Manchester city centre | Greater Manchester Police