'Predatory paedophile' jailed for life at Norfolk court
A man described by Norfolk Police as a 'predatory paedophile' has been jailed for life at Norwich Crown Court.
Anthony Lewis abused children over a 30-year period in Norfolk, Surrey, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and London, while working as an entertainer.
The 58 year-old from Yeomans Court, Meeting Lane, Burton Latimer, in Northamptonshire, was sentenced at Norwich Crown Court on Thursday 24th September.
He pleaded guilty to a series of non-recent offences of rape, sexual assault, and indecent assaults, and was told he'd serve at least 11 years in prison before being considered for release.
The offences were carried out against a number of girls aged between four and 17 years-old between 1987 and 2007.
Lewis, who also goes by the names Chaz, Chas, Charlie and Tony, worked as an entertainer and would target his victims by setting up talent show companies, preying on young children under the guise of getting them gigs and making them famous.
The court heard he would befriend the parents of vulnerable children and make links with the likes of church and charity groups, where he knew children would be present.
Norfolk Police say the investigation began in September 2017 when one of his victims went to the police to report the historic abuse and Lewis was arrested in connection with the allegations the following month.
Devices found at his home following the arrest were found to contain indecent images of children and he was further arrested for those offences.
He was then later charged with four offences of making/possessing of indecent images which he pleaded guilty to and was convicted of in May 2018.
In October that year, he was given a 17-week prison sentence, suspended for two years, a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.
Police continued to investigate the historic allegations though and Lewis was later charged with multiple offences in May 2020.
Investigating Officer, Detective Constable Verity Holmes, from the Norfolk and Suffolk Major Crimes Investigation Team, said: "I welcome the significant sentence passed at court today but it's important not to lose sight that even though Lewis will now spend a considerable time in prison, his victims will have to live with the impact of his abuse for the rest of their lives.
"Lewis was a predatory paedophile who would target children's talent shows, music festivals, church and charity groups, where he knew children would be present and have opportunity to abuse them.
"Lewis' offending spanned over three decades and we know his work in entertainment took him across the country.
"Every allegation of child abuse is fully investigated by Norfolk Police, with specialist officers guiding victims through the process. Support and advice is available from a range of agencies we work closely with towards the successful prosecution of offenders."
Statements from all of Lewis' victims were read out in court, with each describing how the abuse has affected their lives and relationships. Many of them revealed their struggles in later life with alcohol and drug abuse as well as mental health issues.
After being abused, one victim described how her relationships with boys and men have never been the same since. She said: "I felt I couldn't be around boys or men at all, including my own brother. I couldn't trust him. The relationship with my brother has never been the same since."
She also described the relief of finding out Lewis was being brought to justice.
"I felt I could breathe again, I didn't have to keep looking over my shoulder anymore - he'll go away for a long time and can't hurt anyone else."
Another victim said: "He took away my innocence, my childhood and my ability to form relationships with others."
Describing the impact of his offending, another victim said: "The long-term impact on me has been horrendous - I struggle to be able to trust anybody. Life experiences I should have enjoyed were all tainted by what Lewis did to me."
In another statement read out to court, his victim said: "I don't trust anybody, not even my own family. I've had nightmares for as long as I can remember. I would be chased by a shadowy figure. I would be running, screaming, but no one could hear. That room - it's always in that room, but now as an adult I feel stuck in there and can't get out. I don't know how to feel about him being convicted.
"I do know I want him to feel fear about going to prison, even for a second, so he feels the fear that I felt."
Sentencing Lewis, His Honour Judge Andrew Shaw, said: "You have admitted the most egregious and appalling campaign of sexual abuse over 20 years. Each one of your five victims was a child you owed a duty of care to - you abused your position of trust.
"The five victim personal statements were among the saddest and most upsetting I've ever heard.
"No underestimation you have ruined their lives. They have suffered the most severe psychological harm at your hands."
Anyone who may have been affected by anything raised in this case can contact police on 101.
The freephone NSPCC helpline 0808 800 5000 is available for anyone to report or seek advice about non-recent abuse. Calls can be made anonymously.
Norfolk Sexual Assault Referral Centre, The Harbour Centre, operates a 24-hour service for victims of sexual abuse and can be contacted on 0845 456 4810.
The Lucy Faithfull Foundation is the UK's only children's charity dedicated to preventing child sexual abuse and runs a freephone confidential helpline 0800 1000 900.