LAWRENCE PETCH FROM FERRYHILL BANNED AND UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR SEX OFFENSES AT ACKLINGTON PRISON

In a recent development, authorities have taken decisive action to prevent Lawrence Petch, a known sex offender from Ferryhill, from establishing any form of contact with his victims while he remains incarcerated at Acklington Prison in Northumberland. The Prison Service disclosed last night that it had implemented specific measures following allegations that Petch had been sending inappropriate and lewd correspondence to two women who had previously come forward with accusations against him.

According to official statements, Petch, aged 54, is currently under police investigation, with detectives planning to visit Acklington Prison soon to conduct interviews and gather further evidence. The Prison Service confirmed that an internal inquiry had been conducted into the matter and that steps had been taken to ensure such incidents do not recur. A spokesperson explained, “The circumstances at the time were investigated and, as a result, measures have been put in place. Prison staff may, in appropriate circumstances, read and intercept prisoners’ correspondence.”

Lawrence Petch was sentenced to six years in prison at Teesside Crown Court in April of the previous year after pleading guilty to multiple serious charges. These included taking indecent photographs of a child, engaging in sexual activity with a minor, paying for sexual services, and coercing a child into sexual acts. His crimes involved the production of hundreds of videos depicting naked teenage girls, whom he also subjected to pornography and forced to dance naked at his residence on Parker Terrace in Ferryhill, County Durham. It was reported that he had lured these victims, aged between 12 and 16, with alcohol such as vodka and wine.

The victims were filmed in a bedroom that Petch referred to as the “Sex Club,” highlighting the disturbing nature of his offenses. Recently, Petch sent a letter to The Northern Echo in which he described himself as being “in the dustbin of the prison service,” expressing dissatisfaction with his treatment. He also claimed that his human rights were being violated because he was not permitted to hang a Page 3 girls’ calendar in his cell, asserting, “They do not like me here because I stand up for my rights.”

In his letter, Petch further revealed that he had reviewed court documents in which he claimed that one of his victims had a crush on him and that he had hoped to have a sexual relationship with her before his arrest. He stated, “Reading it on its own, it sounds bad, but when it is put in perspective—the girl was over 16, the legal age of consent. We had consensual sex. When I asked her to go further, she said no and I accepted that.” He also described a sex act he performed on the girl, which he admitted to filming.

As part of his ongoing punishment, Petch has been prohibited from working with children, placed on the sex offenders’ register for life, and ordered to serve an extended license period of seven years upon his release. His criminal history includes a previous conviction from 1993, when he was jailed for two and a half years for indecent assault on a 12-year-old girl and for showing pornography to teenage girls at his former residence in Helmsley Close, Ferryhill. His record also includes earlier convictions for indecent assault and displaying indecent images to minors.

Durham Police confirmed that their investigation remains active. A police spokesperson stated, “An investigation is still continuing and detectives from this force plan to interview him in prison in the immediate future,” underscoring the ongoing efforts to address and resolve the case comprehensively.