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.
Image: 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.
Kemi Badenoch has not ruled out forming coalitions at a local level with Reform after the council elections next week.
Speaking to Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, the Conservative leader did however categorically rule out a pact with Nigel Farage’s party on a national level.
“I am not going into any coalition with Nigel Farage… read my lips,” she said.
However, she did not deny that deals could be struck with Reform at a local level, arguing that some councils might be under no overall control and in that case, “you have to do what is right for your local area”.
“You look at the moment, we are in coalition with Liberal Democrats, with independents,” she said. “We’ve been in coalition with Labour before at local government level.
“They [councillors] have to look at who the people are that they’re going into coalition with and see how they can deliver for local people.”
She added: “What I don’t want to hear is talks of stitch-ups or people planning things before the results are out. They have to do what is right for their communities.”
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A total of 23 councils are up for grabs when voters go to the polls on Thursday 1 May – mostly in places that were once deemed Tory shires, until last year’s general election.
It includes 14 county councils, all but two of which have been Conservative-controlled, as well as eight unitary authorities, all but one of which are Tory.
Ms Badenoch has set expectations low for the Tories, suggesting they could lose all the councils they are contesting.
The last time this set of councils were up for election was in 2021, when the Conservative Party was led by Boris Johnson who was riding high from the COVID vaccine bounce.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
Counter-terrorism police are investigating after an incident involving a crossbow and a firearm left two women injured in Leeds.
Police were called to Otley Road at 2.47pm on Saturday to reports of a “serious incident involving a man seen with weapons”, West Yorkshire Police said.
Officers arrived at the scene to find two women injured – and a 38-year-old man with a self-inflicted injury. All three were taken to hospital, with the man held under arrest, but their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
“Two weapons have been recovered from the scene, which were a crossbow and a firearm,” Counter Terrorism Policing North East said in a statement.
The incident happened on the ‘Otley Run’ pub crawl, with one venue saying it was closed for the evening due to “unforeseen circumstances”.
Image: Officers guard one of the crime scenes
Image: Officers inside the cordon in Leeds
Counter Terrorism Policing’s statement added: “Due to the circumstances surrounding the incident, Counter Terrorism Policing North East have taken responsibility for leading the investigation with the support of West Yorkshire Police.
“Extensive enquiries continue to establish the full circumstances and explore any potential motivation.”
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described it as a “serious violent incident” and said she was being kept updated by police.
“Thank you to the police and emergency services for their swift response,” she said. “My thoughts are with the victims and all those affected by this attack.”
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
Wrexham AFC have been promoted for the third season in a row.
The North Wales-based side has gone from the National League to the Championship in just three seasons, under its Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
Wrexham were second in the table and had a run of eight games unbeaten ahead of their match against Charlton Athletic on Saturday, which they won 3-0.
Image: Wrexham’s James McClean lifts the League One trophy. Pic: PA
Image: Wrexham’s Dan Scarr celebrates with the fans on the pitch after Wrexham won promotion to the Championship. Pic: PA
It is the first time any club has been promoted for three consecutive seasons within the top five tiers of English football.
The third oldest association football club in the world, Wrexham AFC was bought by Reynolds and McElhenney in 2020, and has since been the subject of a Disney+ documentary, Welcome To Wrexham.
Reynolds, wearing a Wrexham sweatshirt, and McElhenney were pictured celebrating each goal, and after the game, as the fans came onto the pitch at the SToK Cae Ras (Racecourse Ground) to celebrate the victory with the players.
Image: Wrexham co-owners Rob McElhenney (L) and Ryan Reynolds and Ryan’s wife Blake Lively, before the match. Pic: PA
Both stars came onto the pitch after the supporters returned to the stands.
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Speaking to Sky Sports, McElhenney praised those behind the scenes, referring to “so many that don’t get the credit they deserve, people who aren’t talked about”.
Reynolds said bringing success back to the club “seemed like an impossible dream” when they arrived in North Wales in 2020.
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Image: Wrexham’s Sam Smith celebrates in front of the fans after Wrexham won promotion to the Championship. Pic: PA
He put the three promotions down to “the coaching staff, the greatest dressing room” and an “all for one, one for all” attitude throughout the club, adding he was “speechless with their commitment and their emotion”.
As for the mouth-watering prospect of another promotion to the promised land of the Premier League, the pair agreed it was “for tomorrow”, before ending the interview with a joint mic-drop.
Veteran striker Steven Fletcher said, “as soon as I came to this club, I knew it was something special. We want to go again. We’ll reset in the summer, take a break and go again”.