[A]n 18-year-old has been sentenced to five years in a young offenders’ institute after inciting children to engage in sexual activity.
Lewis Peake, of Meadow Road, Whitehaven, appeared at Carlisle Crown Court on Friday (28 July) and was sentenced for seven counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
He was also convicted of sexual communication with a child and possession of indecent photographs of a child.
He admitted all of the offences.
Detective Constable Chris Harland said: “This has been a long and protracted investigation which has lasted a considerable amount of time and involved five police forces and 10 victims from all over the country.
“Peake is a cold and calculating man who has used social media to subject his victims to serious and in some cases sustained sexual abuse.
“Peake used these children for his own sexual gratification and I hope the sentencing can go towards giving them some closure.
“I would like to thank the victims and their families for coming forward to the police and for their continued support throughout the investigation process. Without this we would not be here today.
“I would also like to thank the Crown Prosecution Service, whose help has been invaluable throughout the investigation process.”
