Birmingham Paedophile Jailed for Seven and a Half Years

A Birmingham father, Damien Lucas (36), has been sentenced to seven and a half years in prison for a string of online child sex offenses. Lucas, who resided in New Street, Leominster, was found in possession of hundreds of horrific images and videos depicting children being raped or tortured, which he had also shared.

The offenses, dating back to June 2021, included attempting to arrange the rape of a child under the age of 13. Lucas pleaded guilty to eight child sex offense charges at Hereford Crown Court on Tuesday, May 23.

Detective Inspector Matt McNelis of West Mercia Police stated, "Damien Lucas pleaded guilty to having hundreds of images, including 199 Category A images. Each of these depicts the rape and or torture of a child. The possession and sharing of these images and videos re-victimizes each child in perpetuity. We continue to work with partners, including Lucy Faithfull Foundation and Family Matters, to eradicate this vile trade in human misery."

McNelis further emphasized that the seven-year sentence sends a strong message to online child sex offenders across the country. He reiterated that the possession, creation, and distribution of indecent images of children, along with the grooming of children for contact offenses, are abhorrent crimes that law enforcement is actively combatting.

The court also issued a Sexual Harm Prevention Order against Lucas and mandated his registration as a sex offender for an indefinite period.