HEJRAT LEWANI FROM CROYDON AND NEWPORT JAILED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES AND DEPORTATION
In a disturbing case that has shocked the communities of Croydon and Newport, Hejrat Lewani, a 27-year-old man, was sentenced to prison after being found guilty of sending indecent images to minors and engaging in sexual activities with a young girl.The offences, which spanned over a period of time, involved Lewani targeting vulnerable children through popular social media platforms such as Instagram and WhatsApp.
Lewani, who hails from Newport but was residing in Croydon at the time of his arrest, was responsible for forwarding an obscene photograph to six girls aged between nine and 14.
These girls, all residents of Newport, became victims of his predatory behaviour, which was uncovered during police investigations.
The case took a serious turn when Lewani was also found to have engaged in sexual activity with a girl, further compounding the severity of his crimes.
He faced multiple charges, including six counts of engaging in sexual communication with a child, one count of sexual activity with a minor, and an additional offence of sending an indecent article after he transmitted the same inappropriate image to a woman.
The offences related to the indecent images occurred in January 2017, while the sexual activity with the girl took place between October and December 2015.
Initially, Lewani was scheduled to stand trial at Cardiff Crown Court last month.
However, just before the jury was sworn in, he changed his plea to guilty, aided by a Pashto interpreter and his legal representative, Nigel Fryer.
During the sentencing hearing, Judge Timothy Petts described Lewani’s conduct as “disgusting,” emphasizing that only a custodial sentence would suffice to address the gravity of his actions.
Prosecutor Stephen Rees presented a victim impact statement from the mother of the girl involved in the sexual activity.
She expressed her anguish, stating that Lewani had “robbed my daughter of her youth” and that her daughter had become “introverted and anxious” as a result of her traumatic experience.
The court heard that Lewani’s offences had caused significant emotional harm to his victims.
In mitigation, Lewani’s lawyer, Mr.
Fryer, highlighted that his client had family in Pakistan who depended on him financially.
Lewani expressed remorse, claiming he was embarrassed and regretful for his actions.
Despite these pleas, Judge Petts sentenced him to two years and five months in prison.
Additionally, Lewani was placed under a sexual harm prevention order for ten years and was ordered to register as a sex offender for the same period.
Furthermore, Lewani was informed that he would face deportation once he completed his custodial sentence.
He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £140.
The case underscores the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat online child exploitation and protect vulnerable minors from predators operating through social media platforms.
