Raymond Dickens

Raymond Dickens, aged 53 from Rugby, was convicted at Warwick Crown Court of eight offences against three victims, all occurring in the 1990s. The charges included four counts of indecent assault, two counts of rape, one count of procuring a woman to become a prostitute, and one count of false imprisonment. Alongside Peter Livingston Jones, Dickens preyed on vulnerable women in the Midlands, using initial flattery and gifts that quickly turned into coercion through sexual and physical violence to force the women into prostitution for personal gain.

The investigation, known as Operation Costa, was initiated by Warwickshire Police after reports from victims revealed the extent of the abuse. Detective Inspector Paul Thompson explained: "They preyed on vulnerable women. To start with they flattered them and brought them gifts but this attention soon turned to sexual and physical violence, manipulation and intimidation." Police described how Jones and Dickens 'controlled' their victims. Dickens, residing on Langdale Close in Rugby, Warwickshire, denied the charges but was found guilty by the jury.

This case involved a third defendant, Helen Thompson, convicted separately of kidnap, but the primary focus was on the sexual exploitation by Jones and Dickens. Sentencing for Dickens was set for the Friday after the trial verdict, with no immediate details on the sentence length available. The convictions demonstrate Warwickshire Police's commitment to pursuing historical cases of sexual offences and human trafficking.