LEE WARREN FROM LEICESTER SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL OFFENSES AGAINST EIGHT-YEAR-OLD GIRL

In a case that has shocked the Leicester community, Lee Warren has been sentenced to six years in prison after being found guilty of sexually assaulting an eight-year-old girl. The incident, which took place when Warren was just 16 or 17 years old, involved not only the assault but also the taking of numerous indecent photographs of the young victim.

Leicester Crown Court heard that Warren, now aged 23, committed these heinous acts during 2004. He admitted to sexually assaulting the girl and recording the assault on camera. Additionally, he took 181 indecent photographs of her, which were classified as level one images—considered the least severe on a scale that ranges up to level five. The court was also informed that Warren downloaded these images from his digital camera onto his computer. Between 2005 and 2007, he further downloaded a total of 105 images and videos of unknown children from the internet, spanning levels one through five, including eight at level two, nine at level three, 48 at level four, and two at level five.

The court was told that there was an element of grooming involved before Warren took explicit photographs of the girl posing. His arrest came in August of the previous year at his residence on New Parks Boulevard, Leicester. Authorities seized his old computer, along with DVDs and discs, which were examined as part of the investigation. Prosecutor David Herbert highlighted that Warren had actively searched for images depicting hardcore child abuse, indicating a disturbing interest in such material.

During police interviews, Warren claimed that his interest in pre-teen images stemmed from curiosity during a period of isolation in his life. His defense lawyer, Paul Trotter, emphasized that the sexual assault was an isolated incident. The girl, who was photographed on one or two occasions, reportedly no longer remembered any indecent acts, suggesting that her recollection of the events had faded over time.

Mr. Trotter also pointed out that Warren, who had no prior criminal record, ceased viewing the downloaded indecent images voluntarily in 2007 and had since attempted to turn his life around. He described Warren as a young man struggling with insecurity and personal problems, who found it difficult to communicate with peers. The lawyer noted that Warren had taken responsibility for his actions, which included giving a full confession when questioned by authorities. He had also settled into a relationship and was the father of a 21-month-old son at the time of sentencing.

Despite his efforts at rehabilitation, Warren was handed a lifelong ban from working with children and was required to register as a sex offender. The court also imposed a sexual offences prevention order, restricting his contact with under-16s and monitoring his computer use. Judge Simon Hammond emphasized the importance of protecting vulnerable members of society, stating, “The courts have a duty to protect young children and other vulnerable members of the community.”