CHARLES LORD FROM MORECAMBE SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS FOR SEX OFFENCES AND CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

In a case that has shocked the community of Morecambe, Charles Lord, a 46-year-old resident of Clark Street, was sentenced to a lengthy prison term of 15 years on Wednesday, March 15. The conviction followed his guilty plea to multiple charges involving indecent images of children and two separate sexual assaults against minors.

Lord’s criminal activities came to light after a series of investigations spanning several years. The initial report from 2010 involved a young girl, aged just 10 at the time, who alleged that Lord had sexually assaulted her. Despite the serious nature of the allegation, authorities concluded that there was insufficient evidence to proceed with charges at that time, and the case was left unresolved.

However, the case was reopened in December 2014 after police executed a warrant at Lord’s residence in Morecambe. During the search, officers seized his laptop, which contained a significant collection of indecent images depicting children. Further examination revealed that Lord had not only stored these images but also shared them online with other individuals involved in similar criminal activities. Evidence also indicated that Lord had boasted about his abuse of children, adding a disturbing dimension to his crimes.

Following this new evidence, law enforcement authorities revisited the earlier case from 2010. During this process, a second victim, who was 15 years old at the time, came forward. She reported that she had been sexually assaulted by Lord sometime between October 2000 and October 2001. This revelation confirmed that Lord’s offending spanned over a decade, involving multiple victims and a pattern of predatory behavior.

Detective Constable Ian Wright, from the Public Protection Unit, expressed his condemnation of Lord’s actions, describing him as a “truly sick and callous individual who has shown no remorse for what he did.” He highlighted Lord’s denial during police interviews, where he attempted to shift blame onto a fictitious associate, denying any involvement in the abuse of the young girls. Despite Lord’s denials, the evidence collected was compelling enough to secure a conviction.

In addition to the prison sentence, Lord was subjected to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), aimed at restricting his future contact with minors and preventing further harm. The case has been a significant victory for justice and a reminder of the importance of vigilance and thorough investigation in protecting vulnerable children.

DC Ian Wright also took the opportunity to thank the victims for their courage in coming forward, acknowledging the difficulty of their experiences and the importance of their testimonies in achieving justice. He reassured the public that the police remain committed to investigating all allegations of sexual offences against children, regardless of when they occurred, and urged anyone with concerns to come forward with confidence that their reports will be taken seriously and handled with sensitivity.