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Santa lookalike jailed for sex offences against girls | Santa lookalike jailed for sex offences against girls |
(35 minutes later) | |
A man known to locals as "Father Christmas" has been jailed for 22 months for offering two young girls cash to expose themselves. | A man known to locals as "Father Christmas" has been jailed for 22 months for offering two young girls cash to expose themselves. |
Lawrence Lewis, described as having a bushy beard, white curly hair and being well-built, committed the offences in a pub in Waterlooville, Hampshire. | Lawrence Lewis, described as having a bushy beard, white curly hair and being well-built, committed the offences in a pub in Waterlooville, Hampshire. |
He was not in character at the time of his crimes, but he was banned from playing Santa for 10 years. | He was not in character at the time of his crimes, but he was banned from playing Santa for 10 years. |
Lewis, 57, claimed he had been too drunk to remember what happened. | Lewis, 57, claimed he had been too drunk to remember what happened. |
'Dirty old man' | 'Dirty old man' |
The judge at Portsmouth Crown Court said the "unusual case" did not "fit within normal guidelines". | The judge at Portsmouth Crown Court said the "unusual case" did not "fit within normal guidelines". |
Recorder Shamim Qureshi said: "When Father Christmas turns out to be a dirty old man asking to look at their underpants and private parts, we have a very different situation regarding the Sentencing Council." | Recorder Shamim Qureshi said: "When Father Christmas turns out to be a dirty old man asking to look at their underpants and private parts, we have a very different situation regarding the Sentencing Council." |
The court heard how Lewis had approached an eight-year-old girl on two occasions at the Wellington pub in Waterlooville, in December and January, and offered her money to expose herself to him. | The court heard how Lewis had approached an eight-year-old girl on two occasions at the Wellington pub in Waterlooville, in December and January, and offered her money to expose herself to him. |
On another occasion, he made the girl's 11-year-old friend a similar offer. | On another occasion, he made the girl's 11-year-old friend a similar offer. |
Robert Forrest, prosecuting, said: "This defendant was a regular of that public house; he was known by several other regulars as Father Christmas and Santa because of his appearance at the time." | Robert Forrest, prosecuting, said: "This defendant was a regular of that public house; he was known by several other regulars as Father Christmas and Santa because of his appearance at the time." |
Mr Forrest told the court that Lewis had asked the younger girl six times to expose herself to him for a payment of £3. | |
He added that Lewis was "known on several occasions to act as Father Christmas", and asked for the Santa ban because he said there was an "obvious risk of harm". | |
Lewis, of Springwood Avenue, Waterlooville, pleaded guilty to three charges of inciting a girl under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity. | |
As well as being barred from playing the role of Father Christmas as part of a sexual harm prevention order, he was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for 10 years and told to pay a £100 victim surcharge. |
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