Child rapist jailed

A CHILD rapist has been jailed for 16 years.

Rui Pereira committed 19 sexual offences against children in Lincolnshire and Norfolk including six counts of rape.

Rui Pereira, formerly of Wisbech Road, Outwell, Norfolk, was sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court yesterday for charges relating to five different victims.

The 24-year-old had been accused of rape, sexual assault of a child, sexual activity with a child, sexual communication with a child, making indecent images and taking indecent images.

Pereira has previously pleaded guilty to all 19 charges but had at no point explained his actions.

The court heard how he posed as a teenager online in 2022 to strike up relationships with children under the age of 13.

Pereira would then engage in sexual conversation before convincing his victims to meet with him where sexual acts took place.

Pereira was given a sexual harm prevention order and a restraining order and must also serve an extended licence period of two years on his release from jail.

It ends a lengthy investigation by officers at Lincolnshire Police, who worked with colleagues outside of the county to piece together what had happened.

Detective Constable Carla Sutton branded Pereira’s ‘behaviour as wholly unacceptable’ and praised the resilience of the young victims and their families.

She said: “The children in this case have been nothing but strong, brave and resilient and they must be very proud of themselves for coming forward.

“Pereira knew the ages of these children when he began sexual conversations with them, he lured them in to thinking he was just a teenager himself in order to meet and satisfy his sexual needs.

“Pereira is a sexual predator that preyed on young children and this conviction means he won’t be able to cause any further harm.”