JAMES LEWIS FROM LINWOOD AND DARVEL FACES JAIL OVER CHILD SEX ABUSE IMAGES

In a disturbing case that has shocked the communities of Linwood and Darvel, James Lewis, a 58-year-old man, has been found guilty of possessing and downloading indecent images of children. The investigation revealed that Lewis had been hoarding these illicit images at his residence in Linwood's Belmar Court over a span of approximately four years, from November 2009 until May of the following year. The authorities confirmed that the specific date he began downloading these images was May 2011, despite initial allegations covering a broader period.r>

Lewis faced multiple charges related to child sexual abuse images. He was accused of taking, permitting to be taken, or making such images, which are considered serious offenses under Scottish law. During the legal proceedings, prosecutors agreed to drop a second charge that accused him of being in possession of banned images, focusing instead on the primary charge under Section 52(1)(a) of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982. This law criminalizes the act of taking, allowing to be taken, or making any indecent photograph of a child.r>

Initially scheduled for trial at Paisley Sheriff Court, Lewis unexpectedly pleaded guilty during a pre-trial hearing, avoiding a lengthy court process. The court deferred sentencing to allow for a social work assessment, which is standard procedure in cases involving offenders of this nature. When he appeared before Sheriff Susan Sinclair this week, Lewis made a startling statement to social workers, claiming that he did not believe any victims existed as a result of his actions. This assertion was met with serious concern from the court.r>

Sheriff Sinclair emphasized the gravity of the offense, stating, “Each image features a child somewhere in the world that’s being abused. It’s not victimless, it’s serious. People in your position simply create demand which causes a risk of further abuse.” Despite the severity of the crime, the sheriff decided against immediate imprisonment, opting instead to place Lewis on a Community Payback Order (CPO). This order mandates supervised community service and monitoring for a period of three years, during which Lewis will be engaged in the Moving Forward Making Changes Programme, designed to help sex offenders modify their behavior.r>

Additional restrictions were imposed to prevent any further offenses. Lewis is prohibited from deleting internet history on any of his devices, allowing social workers to monitor his online activity. Furthermore, he is barred from contacting anyone under the age of 18 via the internet, including social media platforms like Facebook. Sheriff Sinclair explicitly warned him, “You can’t even use Facebook to contact nieces, nephews or any person or children under the age of 18,” underscoring the seriousness of the restrictions.r>

In a related development earlier in March 2016, Lewis admitted to downloading indecent images of children, which led to his being placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register. The court proceedings highlighted the ongoing concern about his activities, and the legal process culminated in his guilty plea and the imposition of the CPO, reflecting the judicial system’s response to such grave offenses.