Lewis Nugent, a 27-year-old resident of Easington Colliery in County Durham, was sentenced at Durham Crown Court on 18 December 2024 for a series of historic sexual offences committed against a young girl when he was a teenager. Nugent, described by the judge as a 'monster', was convicted of nine charges following a trial in early November 2024, including three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault, and three counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
The offences involved grooming and coercion, with Nugent telling the victim she was 'special' and his 'favourite' to gain her trust. He incentivised sexual activity by promising her access to a video game console, only if she complied with his demands. During one incident, Nugent placed his hand over the girl's mouth to silence her while raping her, and in another, she became physically sick on a bed afterwards, leading to her getting into trouble. The prosecution, led by Sam Ponniah, highlighted these elements of manipulation and the lasting trauma inflicted on the victim.
In her victim impact statement, read aloud in court, the girl described being 'tortured by the memories' of the abuse, stating that even the mention of Nugent's name made her feel sick. She explained how the experiences affected her education, desensitised her emotionally, and left her struggling to trust any male, including medical professionals. However, she expressed relief that Nugent would no longer be able to harm her.
Despite the convictions, Nugent maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings, as noted in his pre-sentence report prepared by the Probation Service. His defence barrister, Victoria Lamballe, submitted character testimonials from long-term friends and his parents, along with a psychologist's report. She acknowledged the difficulty in mitigating due to his denials but emphasised that this was his first involvement with the criminal justice system and that he had no previous convictions.
Judge Nathan Adams, addressing Nugent directly, described the offences as 'pervasive and persistent' and deemed him a dangerous offender, particularly to young girls. Given Nugent's age at the time of the offending, the judge sentenced him as if he were a youth. He imposed a sentence comprising a six-year custodial term, followed by a four-year extended licence period, during which Nugent must serve at least two-thirds—or four years—in prison before potential release by the Parole Board. The judge noted that had Nugent been a young adult at the time, the custodial element would have been 12 years. Additionally, Nugent was placed on the sex offenders' register for life and made subject to a 15-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, along with a 15-year restraining order prohibiting contact with the victim.
The case was reported by The Northern Echo, with details emerging from court proceedings at Durham Crown Court. Durham Constabulary provided imagery related to the case, underscoring the local nature of the investigation in the Horden and Peterlee areas.