LOUIS MEIRELES FROM PORTSMOUTH LOCKED UP AFTER SCHOOL READING INCIDENT GONE WRONG

In a case that has shocked the Portsmouth community, Louis Meireles, a former student of the University of Portsmouth, has been sentenced to prison following a disturbing incident involving a young boy during a school reading session. The events took place in December 2017, when Meireles, then 20 years old, was volunteering to help children improve their reading skills.

Initially, Meireles was given a relatively lenient sentence by Recorder Sarah Vaughan Jones QC, who handed down a 36-month community order that included 200 hours of unpaid work. This decision came despite the severity of the allegations, which involved the defendant touching the genitals of a seven-year-old boy and coercing him into silence with the words, “This is our secret.”

The court was told that the incident had a devastating impact on the young victim, who now suffers from nightmares and has become withdrawn, despite receiving counselling. The court heard that the boy’s life was “totally devastated” by the assault, and he now receives home schooling after his parents felt abandoned and betrayed by the school system.

Prosecutor Martyn Booth described the harrowing details of the case, explaining that Meireles, who was suspended from his studies at the university, volunteered through the university to assist in schools. During one such session, he instructed the boy to lean backwards and keep a book on his lap. It was then that Meireles undid the boy’s trousers, placed his hand down his pants, and touched his genitals. The young boy, frightened and confused, confided in his mother, who immediately took action by visiting the school and alerting police.

The child recounted the incident to officers, stating, “He undid my trousers and put his hand down my pants and then told me to keep it a secret. It only happened once. There were other children sat in the corner of the room when it happened.” Despite the initial leniency, the Court of Appeal later reviewed the case after the sentence was deemed unduly lenient. The judges agreed that the punishment did not reflect the seriousness of the offence and subsequently overturned the original sentence, sentencing Meireles to two years and six months in prison.

Following the appeal, Solicitor General Lucy Frazer QC MP emphasized the gravity of Meireles’ actions, stating, “Meireles was aware of his feelings towards children yet still sought contact – committing a crime severe enough to warrant a custodial sentence. The Court of Appeal agrees that his punishment was too lenient and the offender will now be imprisoned.”

Further background revealed that Meireles, who resides on Sheffield Road in Fratton, Portsmouth, had previously sought help after confessing to having “paedophilic thoughts” at the university’s wellbeing centre. He also attended a support group called ‘Stop’ in an effort to control his urges. The court also uncovered a prior incident when he was 18, involving inappropriate touching of a 13-year-old boy on a bus in London, which was dealt with by the school rather than authorities.

In addition to the prison sentence, the court ordered Meireles to participate in a sex offenders’ program, complete 20 days of rehabilitation, and adhere to a sexual harm prevention order. The case has left a lasting impact on the victim’s family, who described feeling abandoned by the educational institutions and overwhelmed by the emotional toll of the incident. The court’s decision underscores the importance of holding offenders accountable and protecting vulnerable children from harm.