Michael Stephen Lewis

A 64-year-old man from Northampton has been sentenced to seven years and ten months in prison for a series of child sex offences, as reported by Northamptonshire Police. Michael Stephen Lewis, who was already subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) due to prior convictions, was found in possession of 115 indecent images of children on his computer, including 47 Category A images—the most severe classification.

The investigation began on 13 September 2021, when officers from Northamptonshire Police’s Management of Sexual or Violent Offenders (MOSOVO) Team conducted an unannounced visit to Lewis’s address in Deal Street, Northampton. As a registered sex offender, Lewis was required to comply with SHPO conditions, including allowing police inspections of his internet-enabled devices. During the visit, officers suspected the presence of encryption software on his custom-built computer. Although Lewis denied installing it himself, the devices were seized for forensic examination.

• Examination revealed 115 indecent images of children, with 47 being Category A (41 photographs and 6 videos).
• Additional findings included extreme pornographic images involving animals and a prohibited image of a child.

Lewis was charged with three counts of making indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of a child, one count of possessing extreme pornographic images involving animals, one count of possessing a prohibited image of a child, one count of breaching his SHPO, and one count of failing to comply with notification requirements. He pleaded guilty to all charges at an earlier hearing at Northampton Crown Court.

On 2 January 2025, Lewis appeared at Northampton Crown Court for sentencing, where Judge [name not specified in article] imposed the custodial sentence of seven years and ten months. Lead investigator PC Carl Gardner from the MOSOVO Team commented: “I am pleased to see Michael Lewis sent to prison for nearly eight years for these very serious offences, and I hope it shows our local communities just how seriously we take these types of cases. Registered sex offenders like Lewis are very closely managed by our team and we regularly show up at their homes, day and night, to ensure they are abiding by their conditions. Any breaches are dealt with robustly and with an approach of zero-tolerance. The images found on Lewis’s computer were abhorrent and by ensuring that he returns to prison, we are keeping the public in this county safe. We will continue working hard to ensure more people like him also find themselves behind bars.”

This case underscores Northamptonshire Police’s commitment to monitoring registered sex offenders and protecting children from exploitation. The force’s proactive approach in conducting unannounced visits directly led to the discovery of the illegal material. Source: Official Northamptonshire Police news release, published 20 January 2025.