Lewis Edwards: Mum jailed after burying phone in family cat’s grave to help paedophile ex-police officer son
A mother has been jailed after she buried a phone in the family cat’s grave to help her paedophile son – who used Snapchat to groom more than 200 girls while he was a police officer.
Lewis Edwards, 25, was given a life sentence last year and was sentenced for further offences on Tuesday. He previously admitted 160 counts of child sexual abuse and blackmail involving 4,500 indecent images of children.
Edwards, a former South Wales Police officer, is serving a minimum of 12 years after he lost an appeal against his sentence in May.
His mother Rebekah Edwards, 48, had pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice after concealing evidence.
Recorder of Cardiff Tracey Lloyd-Clarke sentenced her to two years in prison today.
The judge said she had considered whether the sentence could be suspended but said the offending was “too serious” for anything other than an immediate custodial sentence.
Edwards will serve half of her sentence in custody before she is released on licence.
‘Bury the black one’
Cardiff Crown Court heard that police with a warrant searched the home address of Lewis Edwards on 8 February 2023.
Prosecuting, Roger Griffiths said “a number of electronic devices” were recovered but that Lewis Edwards declined to give passwords to police.
In July 2023, South Wales Police were informed Rebekah Edwards had recovered two mobile phones.
“It was reported to the police that Mrs Edwards had asked [Lewis Edwards] what she should do with the phones,” Mr Griffiths added.
“Lewis Edwards had said: ‘Bury the black one’.”
Police interview of Lewis Edwards. Pic: South Wales Police
Rebekah Edwards initially handed over two phones to officers but she was then asked by police about a report they had received of a phone in the garden.
“I buried the phone in the garden when I buried the cat,” she told officers.
Mr Griffiths told the court the device recovered from “the grave of the family cat” was “a black mobile telephone with a smashed screen”.
Due to its damage, the phone was “incapable of examination”, the prosecution said.
“We say there was no reason for [Rebekah Edwards] to retain any of the phones,” Mr Griffiths added.
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‘Embroiled others in his offending’
Andrew Davies, defending Lewis Edwards, said there was “very little that can be said” but said the best mitigation in his favour was that he pleaded guilty to the charges against him.
“He regrets that he’s embroiled others in his offending,” Mr Davies added.
For the three offences of possession of indecent images of children, Lewis Edwards was sentenced to 12 months in prison to run concurrently with the life sentence he is currently serving.
He was also sentenced to two years and eight months in custody for perverting the course of justice which will also run concurrently.
Giles Hayes, defending Rebekah Edwards, said she was the “primary carer for a dependent relative” and previously of “good character”.
He said Edwards had moved address to live with her mother “for fear of repercussions in the local community” after her son’s arrest.
After Lewis Edwards was sentenced last year, Assistant Chief Constable Danny Richards said there was “no place” for “anyone who abuses the personal responsibility they hold as a police officer” in South Wales Police.
Children and young people can contact Childline with any concerns on 0800 1111.
Adults worried about a child’s safety can get in touch with the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or by emailing help@nspcc.org.uk.
A 53-year-old man has been charged after a car was driven into a crowd at Liverpool FC’s trophy parade.
Paul Doyle, from the West Derby area of Liverpool, has been charged with seven offences, Merseyside Police said.
The businessman, who is a father-of-three, is accused of two counts of unlawful and malicious wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and two counts of causing unlawful and malicious grievous bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Paul Doyle
Doyle is also accused of two counts of attempted unlawful and malicious grievous bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and one count of dangerous driving.
He is due to appear before Liverpool Magistrates Court on Friday.
The charges relate to six people, including two children. A wounding charge and an attempted grievous bodily harm charge relate to a child.
A police car was outside Doyle’s four-bedroom detached family home in the West Derby area on Thursday morning.
According to his social media, he has travelled extensively including Japan, Fiji, India and Australia. Doyle has posted pictures of himself competing in triathlons, and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.
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New Liverpool incident footage
Thousands of fans were gathered in Liverpool city centre on Monday to celebrate the Premier League champions’ title win when a car struck a crowd on Water Street.
Police said a total of 79 people were injured in the incident, with the youngest aged nine, and the oldest being a 78-year-old.
Seven people remain in hospital in a stable condition.
Forensic officers at the scene in Water Street. Pic: PA
‘Huge volume of evidence’
Chief crown prosecutor for the CPS Mersey-Cheshire, Sarah Hammond, told a news conference on Thursday that the investigation was at an early stage and a “huge volume of evidence” was being reviewed.
“This includes multiple pieces of video footage and numerous witness statements. It is important to ensure that every victim gets the justice they deserve.
“The charges will be kept under review as the investigation progresses.”
Police ‘working tirelessly’
Also at the briefing where the charges were announced was Assistant Chief Constable of Merseyside Police, Jenny Sims, who said: “I fully understand how this incident has left us all shocked and saddened, and I know many will continue to have concerns and questions.
“Our detectives are working tirelessly, with diligence and professionalism, to seek the answer to all of those questions. When we are able to, we will provide further information.”
The youngest victim injured in the Liverpool parade crash on Monday is nine years old, police have said.
They added that the oldest is 78, with all 79 people injured understood to be British. Seven remain in hospital in a stable condition.
Merseyside Police declined to say what drug the 53-year-old man arrested over the incident is alleged to have taken.
“We wouldn’t go into this detail at this stage of the investigation,” the force said.
Police at the scene in Liverpool. Pic: AP
Forensic officers in Water Street. Pic: PA
Police are still questioning the driver and were granted further time to do so on Wednesday.
Officers have until Thursday evening to question the man from West Derby.
He is in custody on suspicion of attempted murder, dangerous driving and drug driving.
Police believe the car which struck pedestrians was able to follow an ambulance crew attending to someone suffering a heart attack after a road block was temporarily lifted.
Hundreds of thousands of Liverpool fans had turned out to celebrate their team’s Premier League title when the incident unfolded on Water Street just after 6pm on Monday.
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‘My boy in his pram, got bounced’
‘The best day of my life turned into worst’
Sky News interviewed a lifelong Liverpool fan who said his five-month-old son was “bounced” 15ft (4.6m) in his pram after they were hit by the vehicle.
The child was not counted in the police’s injury tally.
Daniel Eveson, 36, also said his partner had been driven over.
“The best day of my life turned into [the] worst,” Mr Eveson said.
He added: “Me and my partner were flat on the roof, on the bonnet… we were just both trying to hold on for dear life with Ted next to us.
“And my partner went under the wheels of the car, of the front of the car, and it rolled over her leg, and I just bounced off to the side, but my boy and his pram got bounced totally in the opposite direction – about 15ft down the road.”
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Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer travelled to Liverpool to meet with police chiefs and the local metro mayor.
He said he was being kept informed of developments, adding: “The scenes on Monday were just awful, to see how incredible joy at an amazing achievement turned to horror in a moment.”
Messages of support have been sent to the people of Liverpool, including from the King who said: “I know that the strength of community spirit for which your city is renowned will be a comfort and support to those in need.”
The Prince and Princess of Wales said they were “deeply saddened” by the incident.
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