SOLIHULL PAEDOPHILE RALPH NEWNES REARRESTED AFTER LICENCE BREACH
In May 2010, Ralph Newnes, a convicted paedophile and former pub landlord from Solihull, was re-jailed following the discovery that he had accessed a child without supervision.The 62-year-old, formerly owner of the Old Colonial pub on Damson Lane, was returned to prison after breaching the conditions of his licence.
Newnes was initially sentenced in July 2008 to 15 months in prison after admitting to 27 child sex offences involving girls.
The case was brought to police attention through a report in the Birmingham Mail.
Subsequently, the Court of Appeal increased his sentence by an additional 12 months, ruling that the original term was "unduly lenient." It was later revealed that Newnes was released on licence in August 2009.
However, West Midlands Police confirmed that he had been taken back into custody.
A police spokesman stated, "He was recalled in March.
The reason was not because of any worries over public protection.
It was almost a technicality." A West Midlands Probation Service spokeswoman explained, “If someone doesn’t keep to all the terms of their licence, they would automatically go back to prison.
A re-release on a new licence would be a matter for the parole board.” The discovery of Newnes’ licence breach followed a Birmingham Mail article published in November 2006, in which he appealed to police for information.
The appeal was linked to the disappearance of two schoolboys from Chelmsley Wood, Patrick Warren and David Spencer, who vanished on Boxing Day 2006 and have never been found.
The case was further linked to Patrick Warren and David Spencer through a woman who read the article and knew of Newnes’ victims.
She contacted police, prompting further investigation.
At the time of his arrest, Newnes, residing on Landsdale Avenue in Solihull, admitted to 12 counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a 13-year-old girl, gross indecency, and indecent assault.
He also pleaded guilty to five additional charges related to abusing the same girl and ten more charges concerning assaults on another teenage girl.
Initially, Newnes was sentenced to an undisclosed period of time and was required to register as a sex offender for ten years.
