ERDINGTON PAEDOPHILES ROBERT BAILEY AND KEVAN TUDOR SENTENCED FOR HORRIFIC CHILD SEX ABUSE CASES

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Erdington, two men, Robert Bailey and Kevan Tudor, have been sentenced to a combined total of 16 years in prison for their involvement in the sexual exploitation and abuse of two vulnerable young boys. The sentencing took place at Warwick Crown Court on July 6, following a comprehensive 12-week trial that uncovered the extent of their heinous crimes.

Kevan Tudor, aged 55 and residing on Springthorpe Road, was handed a nine-year prison sentence after being convicted on multiple counts, including two charges of penetrative sexual activity with a child and arranging or facilitating child prostitution. His actions, which spanned several years, involved exploiting a young boy in his teens, leaving lasting trauma. Tudor’s crimes were part of a broader pattern of abuse that also implicated other men involved in a paedophile ring operating in the Birmingham area.

Robert Bailey, aged 27 from Watt Road, received a seven-year sentence after being found guilty of similar offences, including penetrative sexual activity with a child, facilitating child prostitution, engaging in sexual acts in the presence of a minor, and creating indecent images of a young boy. Bailey’s involvement was linked to the exploitation of a boy who was in local authority care during the period of abuse, specifically between 2005 and 2010. His crimes, like Tudor’s, contributed to a total of 68 years of imprisonment handed down to the ten men convicted in this case, with one receiving a life sentence.

These convictions follow a lengthy investigation that began with the police’s efforts to uncover the truth behind allegations of sexual abuse dating back over a decade. The victims, both extremely vulnerable, were subjected to horrific acts in the early 2000s and later in the late 2000s. One victim, aged 15 at the time of the offences in 2002 and 2003, was in care and went missing in December 2009. During his disappearance, police investigations revealed that he had been seen begging at New Street train station before being seen leaving with an older man, later identified as Stephen Kelly, a 39-year-old unemployed man from Bournville. Kelly was subsequently arrested and found to have sexually abused the boy during the ten days he was missing, selling him to other men for sexual acts. However, at that time, insufficient evidence prevented further charges against Kelly.

In 2010, the same boy, now aged 15, ran away multiple times from his care home amid concerns of ongoing sexual exploitation. He was placed in secure accommodation, where he received counselling from Barnardos. During this process, he disclosed further abuse, particularly involving Tahir Hussain, aged 34 from Ward End, Birmingham, whom he had met in February 2010. The boy claimed Hussain trafficked him to other men, subjecting him to additional sexual abuse. Hussain was served with a harbouring notice in August 2010 and was arrested in 2011, though he denied the allegations, and no further police action was taken against him at that time.

Further investigations uncovered that in August 2010, the boy was found in a Birmingham hotel room with Michael Godbold, a 58-year-old student photographer from Shepherds Bush. Allegations emerged that Godbold had previously sexually assaulted the boy and taken indecent images of him. Godbold was arrested in November 2010 but denied the allegations, and no charges were filed.

In 2013, West Midlands Police conducted a review of the case, which involved re-examining evidence and re-interviewing the victim, who was then 18. The victim provided new details that led to the identification of 12 men involved in the abuse, including Stephen Kelly, Tudor, and caretaker Peter Joynes, aged 58 from Highgate. The review also revealed that Ronald Potter, a retired farm manager and former Warwickshire Police special constable, had sexually abused the boy in 2002 and 2003 when he was 15 and homeless. Potter was charged with two counts of indecent assault.

Other men identified as perpetrators included Ian Prestleton, Alan Priest, Ashley Sherrington, and Michael Godbold. The police also uncovered additional victims and linked them to the same offenders. Notably, Bailey was rearrested following the review after indecent images of the boy were recovered. The investigation highlighted the extensive and systemic nature of the abuse, which spanned several years and involved multiple offenders.

Assistant Chief Constable Carl Foulkes praised the bravery of the victims, emphasizing the long and difficult journey to achieve justice. He stated, “The two men — who were boys at the time these offences were committed — showed incredible bravery throughout the investigation and court process. They both gave evidence against their abusers, and this cannot have been an easy thing to do.” Foulkes also acknowledged the importance of ongoing efforts to support survivors and improve police responses to such cases, encouraging anyone suffering abuse to come forward.

In addition to Tudor and Bailey, other men received significant sentences. Tahir Hussain was sentenced to seven years concurrently for sexual activity with a child and penetrative sexual activity. Stephen Kelly received eight years for facilitating child prostitution and engaging in sexual acts in the presence of a minor. Peter Joynes was sentenced to four years for similar offences. Ronald Potter received three years for indecent assault, while Ian Prestleton and Allan Priest received three years each for sexual offences, with Priest’s sentence including life imprisonment with a minimum of seven years. Ashley Sherrington was sentenced to nine years for rape, and Michael Godbold received 11 years for multiple charges, including facilitating child prostitution and possessing indecent images.

All ten men are scheduled to be sentenced officially on July 1, marking the culmination of a case that has taken years of meticulous investigation and legal proceedings. The case has shed light on the dark underbelly of child exploitation in the Birmingham area and underscores the ongoing commitment of law enforcement to combat such heinous crimes and bring offenders to justice.