This is the visage of a paedophile, Lewis Watts, who, in 2021, transmitted sexual messages to an individual whom he believed to be twelve years old.
In reality, Lewis Watts’ messages urging the girl to send him sexually explicit images of herself were directed to an undercover officer with the West Midlands Police.
In November of last year, Watts, 26, of Saxelby Road, Melton, initiated a conversation with an individual on the social media platform Kik, even though he was already a registered sex offender.
Watts sent messages to the ‘daughter’ that encouraged sexual activity and requested that she submit images of sexual acts.
However, the account was actually being operated by covert officers from the West Midlands force, who subsequently informed the paedophile online investigation team (POLIT) at Leicestershire Police.
Additionally, there were numerous discussions between Watts and other comparable accounts; however, they were all operated by officers.
Watts had been prosecuted in 2015 for accessing indecent images of children and again appeared in court three years later for three breaches of a court order in relation to internet contact with a minor under 16.
He then committed additional violations of the order, which led to a 12-month sentence of imprisonment.
Nevertheless, Watts utilised a genuine photograph of himself and disclosed his actual age on his account in the most recent offences. Consequently, the investigation team was able to monitor his account, and on December 22, POLIT officers intervened.
Watts was apprehended and subsequently charged with a variety of offences at Leicester’s Keyham Lane police station later that day.
Three counts of sexual communications with a child, attempting to incite a child under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity, and a violation of his sexual harm prevention order were alleged.
He was remanded into custody.
He initially entered a plea of not guilty and was scheduled to appear at Leicester Crown Court for trial. However, he changed his plea to guilty shortly before the trial was scheduled to commence.
He was sentenced to three years of imprisonment.
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