LEWIS WEST CAUGHT IN ABINGDON AND OTTY ST. MARY PAEDOPHILE STING NEAR OXFORD

In a disturbing case that highlights the dangers of online grooming and the vigilance of paedophile hunters, Lewis West, a 38-year-old man from Oxford, was caught attempting to meet a girl he believed was just 14 years old outside a cinema in Exeter. The incident took place on February 20 last year, but the repercussions and details of his actions have only recently come to light during court proceedings.

West was observed hiding in a hedge near the Vue cinema on the Paris Street roundabout in Exeter, waiting for the supposed underage girl, whom he knew by the alias ‘Jennifer’. His intent was clear as he waited in concealment, but his plans were thwarted when members of the UK Database paedophile hunting group, who had been monitoring his online activity, confronted him as he emerged from his hiding spot. The group had been engaging with West through a decoy profile, which he believed belonged to a 14-year-old girl.

According to evidence presented in court, West had spent an entire week grooming the decoy, sending her a series of sexually explicit messages and even an indecent image. His communication was persistent and manipulative, as he encouraged the girl to meet him at the cinema, promising that it would be “fun,” despite her expressing nervousness and clarifying her age. West’s actions included the instigation of a physical meeting, which he arranged to take place outside the Vue cinema in Exeter.

At the time of his arrest, West was staying in Ottery St. Mary, although he is officially from Oxford, residing on Godfrey Close. His mobile phone was seized and examined, revealing a disturbing collection of 247 child abuse images, including seven that depicted severe abuse. Police also discovered an indecent image involving an animal, adding to the gravity of his offences. West claimed that he was aware the online messages were part of a set-up and that he was merely playing along to identify the person behind the decoy. He admitted that he had downloaded the images after smoking crack cocaine.

During the court proceedings at Exeter Crown Court on February 13, Judge Peter Johnson sentenced West to a three-year community order. This included a requirement to complete a 31-day sex offenders’ course and 20 days of supervision. Additionally, West was ordered to perform 100 hours of unpaid community work, register as a sex offender for five years, and was subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which grants police authority to monitor his online activity.

Prosecutor Gareth Evans outlined that the fake profile of ‘Jennifer’ was created online in early February of the previous year, with contact initiated on February 13. West’s messages indicated a desire to engage in various sexual acts with the girl, despite her repeatedly stating her age and expressing nervousness. The planned meeting outside the Exeter cinema was part of his intent to carry out these acts.

This case underscores the ongoing efforts of paedophile hunting groups to protect children from online predators. It also highlights the importance of vigilance and the role of law enforcement in bringing such offenders to justice. West’s actions, which included planning to meet a minor and possessing a significant number of indecent images, have resulted in serious legal consequences, and he now faces the repercussions of his criminal behavior.