ADRIAN STEVENS FROM LINGWOOD CAUGHT IN NORWICH SEX CRIME SCHEME

In April 2022, a serious incident involving a convicted sex offender from Lingwood unfolded in Norwich, highlighting the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat online predatory behavior. The case centered around Adrian Stevens, a 50-year-old man whose actions led to his arrest after he attempted to meet what he believed was a teenage boy in a Norwich car park.

According to court proceedings, Stevens had been communicating online with an individual he thought was a 14-year-old boy. The meeting was scheduled to take place at a car park located on Albion Way in Norwich. Unbeknownst to Stevens, the person he was in contact with was an undercover police officer operating as a decoy, designed to catch individuals attempting to engage in illegal activities involving minors.

During the trial at Norwich Crown Court, the prosecution, led by Nicholas Bleaney, revealed that Stevens, who was 49 at the time of the incident, had explicit intentions of engaging in sexual activity with the minor. The evidence showed that Stevens had engaged in detailed planning for the meeting, which included offering to buy gifts and discussing trips to McDonald's, all in an effort to lure the decoy into a sexual encounter.

Stevens, who resides on High Way in Lingwood, was found guilty after a trial of attempting to communicate sexually with a child between August 19, 2020, and September 2, 2020. He was also convicted of arranging to commit a child sex offence, reflecting the premeditated nature of his actions.

On April 22, 2022, Judge Alice Robinson sentenced Stevens to four years in prison. In her remarks, she emphasized that Stevens was the one who initiated the meeting, believing he was meeting a teenage boy, but in reality, he was speaking with a police decoy. The judge also imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) that will last for ten years, restricting Stevens's activities and contact with minors. Additionally, he was ordered to register as a sex offender on the national database indefinitely, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his conduct.

This case underscores the persistent efforts of law enforcement agencies in Norfolk and beyond to prevent child exploitation and to apprehend individuals attempting to commit such offences. The authorities continue to emphasize the importance of vigilance and reporting suspicious online activity to protect vulnerable minors from predators.