Former Seaford Town FC coach sentenced for 'disgraceful' child sex offences

The former manager of Seaford Town FC under 15s resigned after sending indecent images to two boys on Snapchat, a court heard.
Lewis Broad was sentenced at Hove Crown Court.Lewis Broad was sentenced at Hove Crown Court.
Lewis Broad was sentenced at Hove Crown Court.

Lewis Broad was manager of Seaford Town FC under 15s in 2017 but left after police raided his home and found 522 indecent images of children that he had downloaded from the internet, a court heard.

Broad, who now lives in Brunswick Place in Hove, pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual communication with a child and three counts of possessing indecent images of children.

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The 25-year-old appeared at Hove Crown Court yesterday for sentencing.

Prosecutor Richard Cherrill told the court that Broad asked two boys to send him pictures of their genatalia and then he sent pictures of his own.

Mr Cherrill added: “The boys were neither impressed nor interested and in effect fended him off

“They spoke to another young boy who told his parents and then the police became involved.”

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The court heard that Broad sent pictures of his genitalia to boys via social media platform Snapchat.

When police raided his home they found a ‘massive store’ of indecent images of children, many of which were in the most serious category.

Defence barrister Charlotte Morrish said: “He is an otherwise polite, unassuming young man who is clearly very ashamed of himself.”

She cited his problems with alcohol and struggles to cope with the death of his father.

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Miss Morrish asked that Broad be given a suspended sentence.

Judge Jeremy Gold QC said: “These are disgraceful offences.

“That is made even worse by the fact that you had a massive store of images on your computer in all categories.

“The viewing of indecent photographs of youngsters is a very grave offence.

“It is not a victimless offence for every one of the photographs that you download a child somewhere at some time has to be sexually abused otherwise the photographs would not exist.”

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However Judge Gold said he was persuaded by Miss Morrish’s ‘cogent, thorough and passionate’ argument.

“I obviously acknowledge that people are capable of change.”

Broad was given a 15-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

He was ordered to complete a rehabilitation programme, 150 hours of unpaid work and pay costs.

Broad will also be added to the sex offenders register.