LESTER CAINE FROM BROADWAY SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX ABUSE AND POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

In January 2021, Lester Caine, a man from Smallbrook Road, Broadway, was convicted of multiple serious offenses involving the sexual abuse of young girls and the possession of explicit images depicting child exploitation. The case, which drew significant attention due to the disturbing nature of the crimes, revealed a pattern of depravity spanning nearly three decades.

Caine, aged 65 at the time of sentencing, was found guilty of abusing two girls, one as young as four years old, and possessing a vast collection of illegal images. His offenses included an incident on July 20, 2019, where he sexually assaulted a four-year-old girl while she was seated in a chair, naked from the waist down. The assault was interrupted when an adult witness saw Caine kneeling in front of the child and shouted at him to stop, prompting the attacker to cease his activity. DNA evidence further linked Caine to the crime, and he was apprehended shortly thereafter.

The second victim, a girl aged six or seven between 1992 and 1994, was also subjected to indecent assault by Caine. During that incident, both the victim and the offender were clothed, and the young girl was confused about what was happening at the time. She later confided in her husband and mother about the assault, especially after discovering Caine’s involvement in more recent sexual misconduct involving her younger sister.

Police investigations uncovered a disturbing collection of illegal images stored on Caine’s USB and hard drives. Authorities found a total of 186 Category A images, which are classified as the most severe, including 125 movies depicting children being raped. Additionally, there were 91 images in Category B, 350 in Category C, and 47 extreme pornographic images involving animals such as horses and dogs. Most of these images were still accessible and had been created as recently as October 2018, indicating ongoing possession over a period of more than eleven years. The images predominantly featured females under the age of seven, with some children estimated to be as young as three years old engaged in sexual acts.

Caine, who had no prior criminal record, chose to give a no-comment interview when questioned by police in July 2019. His actions and possession of such material revealed a disturbing pattern of paedophile tendencies, which the court considered seriously during sentencing.

During the trial at Worcester Crown Court, Judge James Burbidge QC addressed the severity of Caine’s offenses. He noted that although the crimes occurred many years apart, the pre-sentence report suggested a persistent paedophile inclination. The judge described Caine as an intelligent and well-educated man, yet expressed profound disbelief at how he could commit such perturbing acts, which are beyond the comprehension of most members of society.

As a result, Caine was sentenced to 40 months in prison. The court also imposed a lifetime sexual harm prevention order, which restricts his contact with minors under 16 unless explicitly approved by the child's parents or guardians, who are aware of his convictions. Furthermore, restrictions were placed on his use of internet-enabled devices, requiring him to retain and provide access to his search history, prohibiting the deletion of data or the installation of anti-forensic software, and forbidding any social media contact with minors. These measures aim to prevent any future offending and monitor his online activity closely.

Upon his release, Caine will be subject to ongoing supervision and restrictions designed to protect children from potential harm, reflecting the serious nature of his crimes and the community’s need for safety and vigilance.