HELEN THOMPSON OF COVENTRY AND RUGBY ESCAPES JAIL AFTER INVOLVEMENT IN RUGBY TEENAGER'S KIDNAPPING AND SEXUAL ABUSE

In a case that has shocked the communities of Coventry and Rugby, Helen Thompson, a 43-year-old woman from Morris Close, Rugby, was involved in a disturbing series of criminal activities that included the kidnapping and sexual assault of a teenage girl. Despite her participation in these heinous acts, Thompson narrowly avoided a prison sentence, receiving a suspended sentence that allows her to serve her time outside of custody under specific conditions.

Thompson was tried at Warwick Crown Court after she pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnapping. The trial revealed her role as the driver during the kidnapping orchestrated by Peter Jones, a man with a long history of serious sexual offenses. Jones, who was at the center of a disturbing prostitution ring operating in Rugby during the 1990s, had previously been convicted of multiple sexual crimes against young women, many of whom were vulnerable teenagers.

The court heard that Jones and Raymond Dickens, both of whom had been involved in the same criminal enterprise, targeted young girls for exploitation. Jones, who had been released from a 16-year sentence for armed robbery before being jailed again in 1998 for drug dealing, was found to have used Thompson as his chauffeur during his criminal activities. Prosecutor Michael Shaw detailed how Jones’s criminal network operated, with Thompson often driving Jones around when he was unable to drive himself due to a driving ban.

One of the victims, a girl aged just 16 at the time, was befriended by Jones during the period after his release from prison. Her situation worsened when she informed Jones that a video recorder he had left at a 'safe house' in Rugby had been stolen. Jones, furious and blaming her, assaulted her, telling her she would have to 'work the money off.' The assault escalated to the point where Jones put a gun to her head, forced her into the back of a car driven by Thompson, and later into the boot of the vehicle because she was crying. They returned her to Jones’s flat, where he subsequently raped her, an act that Thompson was not directly involved in but was present during.

During the trial, Thompson’s defense lawyer, Mohammed Latif, emphasized her vulnerable background, stating, “This is a sad case, both for the complainant, inevitably, but also for the defendant. She too was effectively the victim of others who used her. At the time she was a vulnerable person herself. She was exploited.” Latif further explained that Thompson had worked hard to rebuild her life, distancing herself from her past and not being aware of the full extent of Jones’s actions after she left the scene.

Judge Sylvia de Bertodano acknowledged Thompson’s limited role in the crime, stating, “Your part in all of this was a limited one. I don’t mean to belittle it, because what happened to her at that flat was truly terrible, and you could of course have said no. But there is no suggestion this wouldn’t have happened if you had not helped him. Someone else would have done so, because he had considerable power in that community at that time.” The judge also recognized Thompson’s efforts to turn her life around, noting that it would be unfair to send her to prison.

Meanwhile, Peter Jones, aged 55 and residing on Wheelwright Lane, Coventry, was sentenced in June to 22 years in prison for his involvement in the kidnapping and sexual assaults, including raping the girl and two other victims. He is expected to serve at least two-thirds of his sentence before being considered for parole. Raymond Dickens, aged 53 from Langdale Close, Rugby, received a 16-year sentence for his role in the crimes. Both men are required to register as sex offenders for life.

Jones’s conviction was the result of a comprehensive six-week trial, during which he was found guilty of multiple charges, including kidnapping, rape, and inciting girls into prostitution. Dickens was convicted of two counts of rape and other sexual offenses. The case has highlighted the disturbing extent of exploitation and abuse carried out by these individuals, with their criminal activities spanning over several years and involving vulnerable young women in the Rugby area.