A resident of Long Sutton has received a prison sentence of five years and 10 months following his conviction on serious sexual offences against a child. Lee Merrison, 34, was convicted at Lincoln Crown Court for his sexual assault on a child under 13, engagement in sexual communication with a minor, and indencent exposure. The child courageously disclosed in court the severe psychological effects of the abuse, which include distressing flashbacks and hallucinations.
Merrison, previously a resident of Delph Road, Long Sutton, and later of Elm High Road, Wisbech, was given his sentence by Recorder Paul Mann KC. In a poignant impact statement, the child victim expressed how the offences committed had fundamentally damaged her life and left her feeling unsafe in the company of men. Evidence presented in court suggested that Merrison’s preoccupation with the OnlyFans website was indicative of his inappropriate sexual interests.
Alongside his incarceration, Merrison is now subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, aimed to limit his interactions with underage girls and regulate his use of the internet. Furthermore, he will be obligated to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. There remain four additional charges on which the jury was unable to reach a consensus, and these will be kept on record.
Adapted from original reporting by The Lincoln Post.
