Cory Barrett

In a landmark case, six men from a 'depraved' grooming gang, including Cory Barrett, were imprisoned for the sexual abuse of underage girls in Bolton. The gang operated from a 'party house' in Blackrod between 2016 and 2018, approaching victims near a community centre and using online platforms to facilitate grooming and exploitation of girls aged 13 to 15.

Barrett, 24, from Wigan, was sentenced to 12 years in jail at Liverpool Crown Court for rape and sexual assault. Evidence presented during the trial detailed the extent of the abuses, which included multiple convictions for rape, sexual activity with a child, and sexual assault across the group. A victim's statement via Greater Manchester Police captured the devastation: she 'suffered every form of abuse' and the offenders 'haunt me every day'.

Another girl's words highlighted the irreversible damage: 'Because of these men, I will never be able to live a normal life again. I'd rather be dead most days than deal with all this mental torture and memories. No amount of prison time for them can make that go away. I live in my own prison now and that is what they have done to me.' Detective Constable Robert Booth of Greater Manchester Police credited the victims' bravery for ensuring the men 'pay for their despicable crimes against young, vulnerable and impressionable girls'. Barrett was placed on the Sex Offenders Register, serving as a deterrent to similar predators.