WREXHAM TEEN LEWIS EDWARDS POSES AS US DANCE IDOL TO LURE YOUNG GIRLS
In November 2017, a disturbing case emerged involving Lewis Edwards, an 18-year-old from Wrexham, who engaged in highly manipulative and predatory behavior targeting underage girls online.Edwards created a fictitious profile impersonating Madison Haschak, a well-known American dance star, in an attempt to lure young girls into performing sexual acts on camera.
According to court proceedings at Mold Crown Court, Edwards’s deception was both calculated and malicious.
He used the false identity to persuade girls as young as ten years old to touch themselves on camera, exploiting their infatuation with the celebrity persona he had fabricated.
One girl, who was recorded crying during the ordeal, was heard pleading with the person she believed was Haschak, expressing her reluctance and distress, yet she was coerced into complying with Edwards’s demands.
Judge Niclas Parry described the case as the most disturbing he had encountered involving an offender so young.
He emphasized the severity of Edwards’s actions, stating, “You created a false profile, put her pictures on it, and you persuaded young girls to engage in sexual activity.” The judge highlighted the manipulative nature of Edwards’s conduct, which involved grooming and coercion.
The court heard that Edwards’s criminal activities extended beyond this incident.
He had previously been convicted in 2014 for inciting girls to send him explicit photographs and had threatened to kill them if they refused.
His online searches included images of baby abuse, revealing a disturbing pattern of deviant behavior.
The police recovered his phone and Xbox during a search of his Wrexham home in July, uncovering a total of 78 Category A images—the most serious classification—along with 99 Category B and 505 Category C images.
These graphic images demonstrated the extent of his online predation.
Despite numerous interventions and professional help aimed at addressing his behavior, Edwards continued to offend, and it was evident that he would not cease without further intervention.
The court noted that he had attempted to conceal his activities and did not recognize the harm he caused, which contributed to the severity of his sentencing.
In considering his background, Judge Parry acknowledged Edwards’s difficult home environment and moral corruption, which he stated were not entirely his fault.
Nevertheless, given the gravity of his offenses, the judge imposed an extended sentence to protect the public.
Edwards was sentenced to four years in youth custody, followed by four years of supervision on license, totaling an eight-year period of detention and supervision.
Prosecutor Owen Edwards outlined that Edwards’s creation of the fake profile was part of a grooming and planning process, aimed at exploiting vulnerable young girls.
The court also heard that Edwards had been in contact with other minors, further underscoring the dangerous nature of his actions.
The case serves as a stark reminder of the risks posed by online predators and the importance of vigilance in protecting children from exploitation.
