GEORGE EVANS AND SHEILA MINTON'S HORRIFIC CRIMES IN TELFORD AND IRONBRIDGE REVEALED

In a chilling case that has shocked the community of Telford and the surrounding areas, a man named George Evans has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of a newborn baby. The incident took place in 1999 at Ironbridge, where Evans, then 38 years old, placed the infant inside a bag and deliberately threw it into the River Severn. The court was informed that this tragic act occurred at the same location where Evans had previously disposed of the body of a second baby a year earlier, raising disturbing questions about his pattern of violence.

Despite extensive investigations, police have yet to recover the bodies of either of the infants, leaving a haunting mystery surrounding the full extent of Evans's crimes. The court heard that Evans, who was already serving multiple life sentences for other serious offenses, had confessed to the murder while incarcerated. He admitted to the killing of the infant and to the disposal of the second baby's body, which was already deceased when he cast it into the river.

Adding to the gravity of his criminal record, the court was told that Evans has convictions for rape and other sex offenses, highlighting a long history of disturbing behavior. In light of his confession, Judge Mr. Justice Hughes increased the minimum term Evans must serve from 10 to 15 years before being eligible for parole.

In a related and equally disturbing case, Evans, along with 35-year-old Sheila Minton, was implicated in a depraved and extensive paedophile ring operating within Telford. The police described their activities as beyond belief, involving the exploitation and abuse of children in ways that defy comprehension. The crimes committed by Evans and Minton were so heinous that they shocked even seasoned investigators.

Evans, aged 36 at the time of sentencing, was found guilty of multiple serious charges, including six counts of rape, incitement to commit unlawful sexual intercourse, indecency with children, indecent assault, and assault causing actual bodily harm. Minton, who admitted to two rapes, 13 offences of indecency, and one assault causing bodily harm, was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

The presiding judge, Dame Heather Steel, emphasized the severity of the offences, stating, 'The children were subjected to a most appalling catalogue of offences. They are quite horrifying offences. The offences are so appalling that they are likely to be outside the comprehension of ordinary people.' She further detailed the long-term physical and emotional damage inflicted upon the victims, many of whom were young girls and boys from the Telford area.

Prosecutor Julia Macur QC outlined the extent of the abuse, revealing that Evans had invited others to have sex with girls for a fee of five pounds, and that the abuse was persistent and systematic. She described how some children were forced to engage in sexual acts with strangers, with threats used to coerce compliance. The court heard that Evans and Minton effectively prostituted children and used them to abuse each other in front of their eyes.

Detective Inspector Less Pitts, who led a team of twelve officers in the investigation, described the case as one of the worst he has encountered. He expressed shock at the extent of the abuse and the lengths the perpetrators went to conceal their activities over several years. The victims, now in care, continue to suffer the scars of their ordeal, and authorities acknowledge that only time will reveal the full impact of the trauma inflicted upon them.

In addition to Evans and Minton, two other individuals received community rehabilitation orders: a 26-year-old woman who admitted to one count of indecent assault, and a 67-year-old man convicted of a similar offence. Several other alleged members of the ring were cleared at an earlier hearing, but the case remains a stark reminder of the depravity that can exist within communities.