Lewis Parker

A convicted sex offender from Westcliff, Lewis Parker, has been sentenced to more than four years in prison for continuing to commit serious sexual offences despite being subject to strict legal restrictions. Parker, aged 23, was arrested following intelligence that he was accessing indecent images of children online, in direct violation of his previous convictions and ongoing obligations.

On 9 May 2024, officers from the Police Online Investigation Team (POLIT) attended Parker's address at Westcliff Avenue, Westcliff, and seized electronic devices he was prohibited from owning. Forensic analysis of these devices revealed that Parker had been actively engaging in conversations on dark-web chat rooms, where he discussed and traded child pornography. In one particularly brazen exchange, Parker boasted about being 'on the reg'—slang for the Sex Offenders Register—and claimed that his prior convictions had no deterrent effect on his behaviour.

Parker faced multiple charges at Basildon Crown Court, including three counts of making indecent photographs of a child, one count of possession of a prohibited image of a child, two counts of distributing an indecent photograph of a child, one count of possession of an extreme pornographic image, four counts of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and four counts of failing to comply with notification requirements under the Sex Offenders Register. He pleaded guilty to all charges on 10 May 2024.

• Sentencing occurred on 1 July 2024 at Basildon Crown Court.
• Parker received a custodial sentence of four years and four months.
• He will remain on the Sex Offenders Register for life.
• A new Sexual Harm Prevention Order was issued.

Investigating Officer PC Liam Rising from POLIT described the material accessed by Parker as 'extremely disturbing' and emphasised that he is 'a dangerous individual'. Detective Superintendent Natalia Ross highlighted the team's success, noting a 92% solved rate in online investigations and praising their commitment to protecting vulnerable children despite the distressing nature of the work. The case underscores Essex Police's proactive stance on monitoring registered offenders, ensuring they do not evade scrutiny.

Source: Yellow Advertiser, published 3 July 2024.