MARTIN LEWIS FROM MEIR CAUGHT IN POLICE STING IN STOKE-ON-TRENT AND MEIR

In January 2021, Martin Lewis, a 25-year-old man from Meir, was apprehended by police officers in a carefully coordinated operation targeting online child sex offences. The incident unfolded after undercover officers created a fake profile under the name 'Hannah, 13', to lure potential offenders. Lewis, who went by the moniker 'Stoke guy', initiated contact with this fictitious profile, which was part of a broader effort by West Midlands Police to combat online grooming and exploitation of minors.

According to prosecutor Richard Orme, Lewis quickly engaged in inappropriate and explicit conversations with the undercover officer posing as a 13-year-old girl. Despite 'Hannah' informing him that she was nearly 13 and expressing her disinterest in sexual chat, Lewis persisted. He sent videos of himself performing sexual acts, explicitly asking if she masturbated and expressing a desire to watch her do so. Lewis also suggested playing 'naughty doctor' and inquired if she wanted to have sex, even proposing a meeting outside the Co-op in Meir, where he planned to meet the girl.

Lewis's actions escalated as he sent a photo of himself performing a sexual act and continued to pressure the fictitious girl into engaging in sexual activities. He asked her to perform sex acts on herself and, on May 15, requested her to visit him in the Potteries area. However, the following day, he experienced second thoughts and attempted to dissuade her from traveling, instructing her to lie to his mother about her age and claiming she was 16, pretending to be a PlayStation friend.

When the girl, still part of the sting, messaged that she had arrived at the designated meeting point, Lewis approached her but was immediately met by West Midlands Police officers who arrested him on the spot. During subsequent investigations, Lewis admitted to his involvement fully. His phone was examined and was found to contain eight extreme pornographic images involving animals, further highlighting his disturbing interests.

Lewis, of Pinewood Crescent, Meir, pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, attempting to use a child to watch a sexual act, attempting to cause a child to engage in sexual activity, attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming, attempting to facilitate a child sexual offence, and possession of extreme pornographic images. His sentencing took place at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, where he was handed a three-year community order. As part of his sentence, Lewis is required to complete a 90-day sex offenders' programme, a 25-day rehabilitation activity, and 260 hours of unpaid work.

Additionally, he was placed under a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and registered as a sex offender for the same period. The court also ordered him to pay costs amounting to £500. This case underscores the ongoing efforts by law enforcement agencies to protect children from online predators and bring offenders to justice.