Lewes man jailed for raping 12-year-old

A 22-year-old man has been jailed after raping a 12-year-old girl, police have said.
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Police said Adam Welch had his two year community order sentence in May referred for appeal as it was unduly lenient and on review he was jailed for two years and six months with a licence extension of a year in a hearing on Tuesday, 11 June.

He has also been made subject of a sexual harm prevention order and been placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

The ruling follows a Court of Appeal hearing.

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Quelch, was living in Lewes when he contacted the girl online in 2015 before meeting up within days and raping her. He continued to communicate with the girl via social media when he moved to Queensland, Australia, but was arrested and charged with rape when he returned to the UK in January this year.

Detective Sergeant Lee Simmonds said: “When Quelch returned to the UK he was immediately arrested. Initially he had been given a suspended sentence of two years’ imprisonment in March, which was varied to a community order in May.

"We have worked hard with the CPS to have this lenient sentence reviewed and I am pleased that we have the outcome we had hoped for. His time in jail will hopefully help bring some closure for the brave victim and her family.”