A 31-year-old man has been sentenced at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court today after being convicted of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and attempting to arrange / facilitate the commission of child sex offence – rape / assault by penetration of child under 13.
Liam Lewis from Ferndale, Rhondda Cynon Taff, has been sentenced to three years and nine months in prison. He is also subject of a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will have to register as a sex offender indefinitely.
Following sentencing, officer in the case, Detective Constable Isaac Gott of Tarian, the regional organised crime unit for southern Wales, said:
“Liam Lewis is a sexual predator who preyed on the vulnerability of someone he believed was a child for his own deviant interests.
“He was identified by Tarian as having arranged to meet who he believed to be a child under 13 to sexually abuse and rape. He had offered to supply the child with crack cocaine and incited them to engage in penetrative sexual activity. It was also established he had sent sexual videos during communication with the child.
“On October 21 last year detectives from Tarian executed a warrant at an address in Porth, Rhondda where Lewis was found and arrested. He was charged during his time in custody and remanded into custody.
“Following his guilty pleas Lewis has now been sentenced to three years and nine months in prison.
“He will also be managed as a sex offender upon his release.
“If your child has an online presence, please make it your business to ensure appropriate security settings are activated, be aware of the applications they use and be alert that they may be talking to strangers.
“Tackling online child sexual exploitation is a national priority for UK law enforcement. Tarian will continue to work with partner agencies across the UK and internationally to safeguard children and bring offenders to justice. We will relentlessly pursue high harm offenders and ensure they have their day in Court.”
Anyone who is concerned about the online activity of their child should contact the police on 101 and report any suspicious behaviour and activity.
