Gary Lewis, a man who sexually attacked a child for four years, has been incarcerated.
Gary Lewis was convicted on seven counts of child sexual abuse after a five-day retrial at Chester Crown Court.
The 57-year-old reappeared in Chester Crown Court on Friday, June 16, 2023, when he received a 16-year prison sentence.
Gary Lewis has been sentenced to prison and has been permanently placed on the Sex Offender Register.
During the trial, the court learnt that Gary Lewis commenced his abuse of the girl when she was at three years old.
Gary Lewis held a position of trust and was supposed to be caring for her, instead he used his position to fulfil his own sexual gratification.
Over the next four years he subjected her to repeated sexual offences, including indecent exposure and rape. He would force her to watch pornography and encouraged other people to sexually abuse her.
The girl attempted to seek help at the time of the abuse, but Gary Lewis denied any wrongdoing and claimed that the victim was lying.
The abuse finally came to an end in 2003 when all contact between the pair was stopped.
In April 2019 the victim contacted Cheshire Police to report the offences and Gary Lewis was subsequently charged with multiple offences.
Following the sentencing, Detective Constable Becky Needham, who led the investigation at Halton Public Protection Investigations, said:
“Firstly, I would like to praise the victim for the incredible courage and bravery she has shown throughout this investigation.
“The actions of Gary Lewis are truly abhorrent. He held a position of trust and was supposed to be caring for the victim. Instead, he abused this trust and subjected a vulnerable young child to horrific abuse.
“His abuse understandably has had a lasting impact on the victim. Throughout her childhood her mental health declined, and her education and behaviour at school were also affected.
“It has been a challenging investigation but thankfully, as a result of the courage shown by the victim, Gary Lewis has now been held accountable for his actions.
“While she will never be able to forget the abuse she suffered, I do hope the fact that he is now behind bars where he belongs will provide her with some closure.
“I also hope that his conviction encourages other victims of sexual offences to come forward and report the offences.
“We treat all reports of sexual abuse extremely seriously, and any allegation will be thoroughly investigated, with the wishes and needs of the victim being our main priority.”
To report any sexual offence, call Cheshire Constabulary on 101 or report online.
Information can also be given anonymously, via Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111.
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this article, then please report those individuals to the Police on 111 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.