'Dangerous' Blackpool paedophile, 36, arrested at hotel with girl, 14, he groomed then sexually abused

A concerned hotel receptionist in Stockport alerted the police after an older man checked in with a young girl on Sunday, January 4.

Police were immediately at the scene and were able to arrest Terence Raymond Lewis thanks to the diligence of the receptionist.

It emerged the 36-year-old had groomed the teenager over an online children's chat forum, beginning when she was just 11 years old.

He concealed his real identity and posed as a 14-year-old boy, using another child's photographs under a false name.

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Greater Manchester Police said an investigation went on to uncover the “true extent of his offending”.

Detectives recovered thousands of images from his mobile devices after reviewing tens of thousands of text messages.

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Lewis pleaded guilty to 19 counts of child sexual offences on Monday, June 12.

They included:

• One count of meeting a child following online grooming.
• One count of abducting a child.
• Two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
• Four counts of causing a child to watch a sexual act.
• Five counts of sexual activity with a child.
• Six counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

Lewis, of Bolton Street, Blackpool, was jailed for nine years and nine months, with a three-year extended licence period at a sentencing hearing at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court on Monday.

At sentencing, Judge Bernadette Baxter said: “I have no doubt you would have continued offending had you not been caught.

“The hotel staff should be commended for their actions.”

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Hotel employees are uniquely positioned to identify and act on signs of child sexual exploitation, making their vigilance and training essential.

By recognising suspicious behaviours and taking swift, appropriate action, they are able to help safeguard children and disrupt exploitation.

Gillian Petrovic, Senior Crown Prosecutor for the North West Rape and Serious Sexual offences Unit, said: “Terence Lewis is a dangerous sexual predator who preyed on a vulnerable young girl.

“He groomed her, initially masquerading as a teenage boy and using fake images to lure her into communicating with him. He continued to use a false name to disguise his true identity even after they met.

“The Crown Prosecution Service worked with the police to build a strong case, including using phone and medical evidence, which meant Lewis had little option but to admit to his actions.”