Ashley Sherrington

Ashley Sherrington, 25, from Dawlish Drive, Stoke-on-Trent, was imprisoned for nine years after being convicted of two counts of rape against a teenager in local authority care. The offences occurred in 2009 and 2010, when the victim, aged 14, absconded from a care home and was exploited in Birmingham's red light district. Sherrington, the former partner of convicted sex offender Alan Priest, participated in the rapes that formed part of a broader pattern of abuse including beatings and online streaming.

Warwick Crown Court heard during the three-month trial that the boy was prostituted by Stephen Kelly to various men, including Sherrington and Priest. The victim's initial complaints to West Midlands Police in 2009 and 2010 were not adequately investigated, but his renewed report in 2012 enabled the case to proceed. Judge Sylvia de Bertadano commended the victim's resilience amid the 'horrifying' exploitation.

• Sherrington's actions directly involved sexual violence against the child.
• The court emphasised the group's collective responsibility for the long-term trauma inflicted.

In sentencing, the judge remarked: 'Each of you in your own way exploited this vulnerable boy.' West Midlands Police's Assistant Chief Constable Carl Foulkes called the crimes 'horrific' and affirmed improvements in handling such cases following reviews. This case also led to the identification of an additional victim from a related assault by Ronald Potter.