LEWIS CHAMPION FROM BASELIDON ESCAPES JAIL AFTER VIEWING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
In January 2019, a man from Basildon, identified as Lewis Champion, faced serious allegations after authorities uncovered his involvement in viewing and possessing indecent images of children.Despite the disturbing nature of the evidence, Champion was spared immediate imprisonment, though he received a substantial community-based sentence.
Champion, aged 39 and residing on Whitmore Way in Basildon, had a criminal record that previously included only minor offenses such as criminal damage.
However, the recent case marked a significant escalation in his criminal activity, leading to his appearance at Basildon Crown Court on Thursday, January 17.
The investigation into Champion’s activities began in 2017 when police executed a search warrant at his residence.
During the raid, officers confiscated multiple electronic devices, including a hard drive and a computer tower.
Subsequent forensic analysis revealed that Champion had downloaded numerous indecent images of children between July and October of that year.
Further scrutiny uncovered the presence of a computer cleaning tool called 'Shredder' installed on his devices.
Prosecutor Charlotte Davison highlighted this as an aggravating factor, indicating an attempt to conceal or delete evidence.
The images found depicted children aged between 10 and 14, with some as young as eight, and others as old as 16.
The disturbing content included photographs that appeared to feature children as young as eight, raising serious concerns about the nature of his interests.
During police interviews, Champion initially denied actively searching for underage or indecent images.
He claimed his interest was limited to teenagers and schoolgirls, asserting that the images he viewed only depicted individuals pretending to be minors.
However, under further questioning, he admitted to intentionally seeking out such material, responding with a simple “umm, yes” when asked if he had searched for indecent images.
When asked specifically if he looked for images involving sexual activity with children, Champion denied interest in such content, stating, “No, that is one of the things I am not interested in, anything that is nude or penetrative.” Despite his denials, police findings aligned with his admissions, as the majority of images were classified as Category C, which involves erotic posing.
The investigation also revealed that Champion possessed 241 Category C images, one Category A image, and 193 prohibited images of children.
In court, Judge Graham addressed Champion’s case, noting his limited prior criminal history—only a previous conviction for criminal damage 13 years earlier.
The judge emphasized the seriousness of the offenses, underscoring that these images involved real children, not mere fantasies or fictional representations.
The judge stated, “The images were downloaded between July and October 2017, so not over a huge period of time.
These offences are taken very seriously by the court.
Not only are they disgusting in nature but these are actual images of real children.
They are not just fantasies, they are not just pictures, they are real children.” As a result, Champion was sentenced to an 18-month community order, which includes mandatory participation in rehabilitation activities for up to 30 days.
Additionally, he was subjected to a five-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) and will be registered as a sex offender for five years, reflecting the court’s recognition of the gravity of his actions and the need for ongoing monitoring and intervention.
