LUKE LUGG FROM EASTINGTON SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL OFFENSES IN GLOUCESTER

In December 2016, a man from Eastington, Luke Lugg, aged 22, was sentenced to nearly three years in prison after being convicted of engaging in sexual activities with a 15-year-old girl, despite explicit warnings from her father. The case, heard at Gloucester Crown Court, revealed disturbing details about the nature of the offenses and the circumstances surrounding them.

Prosecutor Richard Tucker outlined that Lugg pleaded guilty to three separate charges of sexual activity with a minor. The allegations came to light when the young girl approached a staff member at her school, reporting that she had been raped. Following her disclosure, police were promptly involved, and the girl was interviewed by officers. During the interview, she disclosed that she had engaged in sexual acts with Lugg on four occasions.

Lugg was arrested and questioned about the incidents. He initially claimed that during the first encounter, he believed the girl was 16 years old, which he thought made the act lawful. However, he acknowledged that after their initial meeting, the girl’s father became aware of their relationship and contacted Lugg to inform him of her true age. The father explicitly instructed Lugg to stay away from his daughter, warning him that she was only 15.

The girl had met Lugg through mutual friends in Eastington, a village near Stonehouse. According to reports, Lugg had invited her to join him and other young people on an outing. However, when he arrived to pick her up, he was alone, with no other friends present. Instead of heading to the planned outing, Lugg took her back to his home in Eastington, where he forcibly engaged in sexual activity with her. Prosecutors described this act as the first time she had sex, emphasizing that it was a painful and distressing experience for her.

Despite the warning from her father, Lugg continued to see her and engaged in further sexual encounters. The court heard that these subsequent acts occurred despite the explicit instructions for him to stay away, highlighting a blatant disregard for the warnings and the girl’s age and vulnerability.

In sentencing, Judge Jamie Tabor QC acknowledged the seriousness of the offenses. He noted that, based on sentencing guidelines, the starting point for a case like this, after a trial, would typically be five years in prison. The judge made it clear to Lugg that he was in 'very serious trouble' and that the court would be following the guidelines strictly. However, he agreed to bail Lugg temporarily to allow for a pre-sentence report, which would provide more insight into his background.

Lugg was ordered to register as a sex offender and was scheduled to return to court on December 9 for sentencing. The case underscores the grave nature of sexual offenses involving minors and the importance of adhering to warnings and legal boundaries to protect vulnerable young individuals.