Man used youthful looks to target under-age girls

Rui Pereira used his "small size" and "young appearance" to help him target under-age girls in Lincolnshire

A man who had sex with three under-age girls after using social media to target them has been jailed for 16 years.

Rui Pereira was 21 when he used his "small size" and "young appearance" to help him target young girls in Lincolnshire, Lincoln Crown Court was told.

Pereira, now 24, of Wisbech Road, Outwell, Norfolk, admitted 19 sexual charges including six counts of rape of a child.

The charges also included sexual activity with a child, sexual assault of a child, sexual communication with a child, and taking and making indecent photos of a child.

In addition to his sentence, Pereira was given a sexual harm prevention order and a restraining order, preventing him from having any contact with the victims.

The court heard Pereira had told his victims he was just a couple of years older than them after connecting with them on social media.

Pereira would then use Snapchat to arrange to meet them for sex, the court was told.

A police investigation found he engaged in sex with three different under-age girls during the spring of 2022.

He had also been in contact with two other girls and was in possession of indecent photographs, the court heard.

'Psychological harm'

One of the victims told the court: "I know there are more people like him out there, but he is the one I am most terrified of.

"I don't get to grow up like other kids. He took that from me," she added.

Statements from Pereira's other victims were read out by the prosecutor.

One stated: "He looked young. He used this."

"What he has done is absolutely disgusting," another said.

Passing sentence, Judge Simon Hirst said he was satisfied one victim had suffered severe psychological harm.

"Nobody could not be moved by what she said," he said.

He added there was also an impact on his other victims.

"You used your youthful size and appearance to persuade them you were much younger than you were," he told Pereira.

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