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A Worthing sex offender has been jailed after attempting to conceal indecent images of children, police have said.
Lewis Peters, 31, was arrested at his home address in Worthing on June 3, following an intelligence-led operation by Sussex Police’s Online Child Abuse Team (OCAT).
“A Worthing sex offender has been jailed for possession of indecent images of children,” a police statement read.
"Peters attempted to conceal a small memory card which featured 250 category A indecent images and videos of children.
“His phone was examined, which was found to contain 32 Category A, 74 Category B and 12 Category C images.”
Police said Peters was already subject to a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), which he was handed in April 2023. Being in possession of these images put him in breach of this order, police said.
A spokesperson added: “The 31-year-old pleaded guilty to three counts of making an indecent photo of a child, four counts of breaching a SHPO and possession of extreme pornographic images, when he appeared before Hove Crown Court on July 5.
“He was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment at Hove Crown Court on July 16.”
Investigator Maisie Upjohn, of Worthing OCAT, said possessing and downloading indecent images of children is an ‘extremely serious offence’ – reflected in the ‘significant custodial sentence given to him at court’.
She added: “Lewis Peters appears to be determined to continue offending despite the SHPO given to him after conviction for other offences in April 2023.
"Somewhere in the world there is a poor victim from each of the images and videos that Peters had.
"This case shows that we will relentlessly pursue offenders to stop them from causing further harm to children."