‘Network of child abusers’: 21 people convicted in biggest case of its kind for West Midlands Police
Twenty-one people have now been convicted after the biggest investigation by West Midlands Police into child sexual abuse in the force’s history.
The crimes by a “network of child abusers” took place against seven victims, who were aged 12 and younger, spanning a period of nearly a decade in Walsall and Wolverhampton.
Prosecutors said the offenders carried out “the most appalling catalogue of sexual abuse of the utmost gravity” which caused their victims “physical harm and extreme psychological harm”.
A police officer involved in the investigation said the “systematic” abuse was “some of the most shocking I have seen in my career”.
The offences were uncovered by Operation Satchel after concerns were raised when one of the victims went to hospital with a suspicious injury.
The third and final of three trials has now concluded, with a total of 13 people jailed and four other people due to be sentenced.
Prison terms ranged from life to 28 months, while four of those convicted received non-custodial terms.
In the first trial, which ended last May, among those convicted was James Evans, 38, who was jailed for life with a minimum term of 18 years after being found guilty of 20 child sexual abuse offences.
Also, 34-year-old Mark Smith was sentenced to 19 years behind bars with an extended licence period of six years after being found guilty of four child sex abuse offences.
L-R top: Ann Marie-Clare, James Evans, Jason Evans, Kirsty Webb, Lee Webb. L-R bottom: Mark Smith, Natasha Webb, Pam Howells, Philip Wellington and Tracey Baker
In the second trial, which concluded in February this year, nine people were convicted including Tracey Baker, 41, who was jailed for 16 years for five child sex abuse offences.
Also, 41-year-old David Baker was sentenced to 21 years in jail, including one year on licence, for seven child sex abuse offences.
In the third trial, which has just ended, Matthew Evans, 32, John Griffiths, 66, and Violet Griffiths, 66, were found guilty of multiple child sexual abuse offences at Wolverhampton Crown Court. They will be sentenced next month.
Detective Chief Superintendent Paul Drover said a large team of officers investigated the allegations for more than half a decade, uncovering “systematic abuse that has to be some of the most shocking I have seen in my career”.
Joanne Jakymec, chief crown prosecutor, said: “The offenders in this case perpetrated the most appalling catalogue of sexual abuse of the utmost gravity causing the victims physical harm and extreme psychological harm.
“With the exception of one of the offenders who admitted what they had done, none of the rest have shown the slightest remorse.”
She praised the “bravery” of victims and witnesses, adding “without their support it would not have been possible for the prosecution team to convict this large network of child abusers”.
Trial one:
James Evans, 38, who was jailed for life with a minimum term of 18 years and given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) after being found guilty of 20 child sex offences
Kirsty Webb, 36, who was jailed for 10 years, given an indefinite restraining order in respect of the victims and a 30-year SHPO after being found guilty of five child sex offences
Mark Smith, 34, jailed for 19 years with an extended licence period of six years, making a total of 25 years, for four child sex offences. He was also handed an SHPO for 30 years and an indefinite restraining order in respect of the victims
Pamela Howells, 58, was jailed for seven years for three child sex offences and was also handed an SHPO for 15 years and an indefinite restraining order
Lee Webb, 40, was found guilty of three child sex offences and was jailed for six years with a 30-year SHPO and an indefinite restraining order
Ann Marie Clare, 43, was jailed for eight years for four child sex offences, with an extended licence period of three years for 11 years in total. She was also handed an SHPO for 30 years and an indefinite restraining order
Dean Webb, 35, was found not fit to plea but a jury decided he had committed the acts alleged. He was given a two-year supervision order and a 40-year SHPO
Stephen Webb, 65, was also found not fit to plea but the jury decided he had committed the acts alleged. He was given an absolute discharge for health reasons
Natasha Webb, 37, is due to be sentenced at a later date. She gave evidence for the Crown at all three trials.
Trial two:
Tracey Baker, 41, was found guilty of five child sex abuse offences and sentenced to 16 years in prison and given an SHPO and a restraining order, both until further notice
David Baker, 41, was found guilty of seven child sex offences and sentenced to 21 years imprisonment including one year on licence, as well as an indefinite SHPO and an indefinite restraining order
Luke Baker, 22, was jailed for two years and four months for two child sex offences and was also handed a restraining order until further notice and a 15-year SHPO
David Evans, 72, was jailed for three-and-a-half years for two offences and given indefinite restraining and SHPO orders
Jane Evans, 71, was found unfit to plea but a jury decided she committed the acts alleged. She was sentenced to a supervision order and a SHPO
Philip Wellington, 50, was found guilty of three child sex offences and jailed for nine years and given an SHPO and a restraining order, both to last until further orders
Natalie Wellington, 44, was convicted of four child sex offences and jailed for 17 years including an extra year on extended licence, alongside an indefinite restraining order and indefinite SHPO
Jason Evans, 25, was found guilty of three offences and sentenced to two years and six months, a restraining order until further notice and a 15-year SHPO
Ryan Evans, 23, was found guilty of one child sex offence and sentenced to a three-year community order, a restraining order and a 15-year SHPO.
Trial three:
Matthew Evans, 32, was found guilty of two child sex offences
John Griffiths, 66, was found guilty of two child sex offences
Violet Griffiths, 66, was convicted of two child sex offences.
Tasers can be used in prisons for the first time to tackle “unacceptably high” levels of violence, as part of a new trial.
Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has said she is “determined to keep prison staff safe”.
Specialist officers from two bases in Oxfordshire and Doncaster can now be deployed to incidents in adult male prisons in England and Wales, equipped with Tasers.
In a demonstration hostage situation, officers used pyrotechnics to distract an aggressive inmate
Officers tackled an aggressive ‘inmate’ after he was distracted by pyrotechnics in the demonstration
Reporters attending a demonstration were shown how they could be used in certain scenarios, where there is a threat to safety, including hostage situations or riots, and where multiple people are involved in “mass disorder”.
One demonstration involved four prisoners who had become disruptive in the exercise yard.
After staff were forced to withdraw, three inmates turned on one and it was deemed there was an “immediate threat to life.”
Officers gave verbal warnings before deploying the Tasers at a distance.
This trial will use the Taser 7 model, which is what police officers currently use.
It can generate 50,000 volts when triggered, but drops to about 1,500 volts when hitting the target.
In a separate hostage situation, officers used pyrotechnics which produced loud bangs and smoke to distract an aggressive “inmate” before putting them in handcuffs.
An ‘inmate’ is tackled by a security officer during a simulation
At first, specialist national officers from the two bases can be deployed if such incidents occur.
It’s understood at the moment these teams get 800 callouts a year – averaging just over two a day.
The trial will run until enough data is collected to determine whether Tasers should be rolled out more widely.
Ms Mahmood said she intends to have further updates in the autumn and will “consider” whether local staff inside jails can use them.
“From my perspective, this is very much the beginning,” she said.
Violence in prisons has been rising. In the 12 months to December there were 10,605 assaults on staff, a rise of 13% on the year before and a new peak. Serious assaults were also up 10% on the previous 12 months.
A security officer demonstrates the Taser in use
Earlier this year, Manchester Arena bomb plotter Hashem Abedi attacked prison staff at the high-security jail HMP Frankland, using hot cooking oil and homemade, or improvised, weapons.
The justice secretary said the incident at Frankland “forced the pace” of further measures to tackle violence.
Southport killer Axel Rudakubana also allegedly attacked a member of staff at HMP Belmarsh by pouring hot water over them from inside his cell.
The Prison Officers Association (POA) union urged ministers to consider protective equipment and stab vests for staff.
Read more:
Tories call for Tasers to be used in prisons
‘Bleak’ prison in special measures
Last month, the government announced the use of body armour at certain units in high-security jails, which house some of the most dangerous inmates.
But while “grateful” for a “step in the right direction”, the POA don’t think the new measure goes far enough – and instead want specialist staff inside jails trained to use Tasers.
“It is pointless a national response being several hours away if, locally, Taser is needed to immediately preserve life and combat threat,” Mark Fairhurst, the POA’s national chairman said.
Whitehall wants to consider the “lessons” from this trial before any potential further rollout.
Ms Mahmood pointed out that while Tasers have been used for many years by the police, “a custodial setting is different to usage in other scenarios”.
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