EXETER JEWELLER CHRISTOPHER LEWIS SENTENCED FOR ABUSING TEENAGE BOY IN EXETER AND COWICK STREET
In a case that has shocked the local community of Exeter, Christopher Lewis, a well-known jeweller and businessman, was sentenced to five and a half years in prison for the sexual abuse of a teenage boy.The offences took place in various locations within Exeter, including the Ivor Doble shop on Cowick Street, where Lewis was managing at the time, as well as other undisclosed sites around the city.
Lewis, aged 58 and residing on Thornpark Rise in Exeter, was convicted after a four-day trial at Exeter Crown Court.
The court heard that he had engaged in multiple sexual assaults against the young victim, with the most serious incident involving the use of alcohol to facilitate the abuse.
The prosecution presented evidence that Lewis had given the boy brandy, which he then used to manipulate and assault him sexually.
The jury found Lewis guilty of the charge of rape and one count of indecent assault, though he denied the other allegations.
During the sentencing, Recorder Mr.
David Bartlett described Lewis as someone who specifically targeted a vulnerable individual.
The judge stated, "I find that you specifically targeted a vulnerable victim.
You took advantage of him by plying him with alcohol and raping him." The court was told that Lewis had sent the only other staff member away from the shop to fetch food, locking the premises to carry out the assault in private.
Throughout the proceedings, Lewis was visibly emotional, sobbing and shaking his head in the dock.
Some members of his family were seen weeping in the public gallery as the sentence was handed down.
The court also noted Lewis's prominence in the Exeter business community, where he had previously managed the Ivor Doble shop on Cowick Street and later operated Leymans in South Street.
As a result of the conviction, Lewis was sentenced to five years and six months in prison, marking a significant and somber moment for the Exeter community and highlighting the serious nature of the crimes committed by a figure once considered a reputable local businessman.
