COVENTRY PIMPS MARTIN CANTLE AND THOMAS ENTWISTLE SENTENCED FOR FORCING TEENAGE GIRL INTO PROSTITUTION AND DRUGS
In a harrowing case that has shocked the Coventry community, two men, Martin Cantle and Thomas Entwistle, have been sentenced to 11 years in prison each for their roles in coercing a teenage girl into a life of prostitution within the city’s notorious red light district.The disturbing details of their crimes emerged during a four-week trial held at Warwick Crown Court, revealing a pattern of exploitation, manipulation, and abuse that spanned several months.
According to court records, Cantle, aged 24 and residing on Aldbourne Road in Radford, along with 26-year-old Entwistle, formerly of Warwick but now living on Dog Lane in Napton, systematically forced the vulnerable girl to work on the streets of Hillfields, Coventry.
The pair subjected her to relentless exploitation, forcing her to work “night after night” in the dangerous and seedy area, while also controlling her through the use of illegal drugs, primarily cocaine.
The court heard that the two men “treated her as a slave in every way,” orchestrating a “wicked plan” to take advantage of her precarious situation as a child prostitute.
Throughout the trial, it was established that Cantle and Entwistle’s control over the girl was comprehensive.
They not only forced her into prostitution but also supplied her with drugs, effectively trapping her in a vicious cycle of addiction and exploitation.
The court found that the men’s actions were driven by a desire to profit from her vulnerability, with the girl being used as a pawn in their criminal enterprise.
Despite their involvement, both men were acquitted of charges related to causing or inciting her into prostitution, but they were convicted of controlling a child prostitute and supplying her with drugs.
Judge Andrew Lockhart sentenced each man to seven years for the prostitution-related offenses and an additional four years for the drug offenses, making their total sentences 11 years each.
During the sentencing, the judge condemned their actions, stating, “You preyed on a vulnerable girl in care and exploited that to your advantage.
For four months, night after night, you forced her into the highly dangerous area of Hillfields as a prostitute.
You two controlled her life in every sense.
You swamped her with drugs—you used her addiction to your advantage.
You lied in interviews and lied wholesale to this jury.” The victim, a girl from South Warwickshire who had spent most of her life in care, was present in court to hear the sentences.
Her relationship with the two men began in 2014, initially forming a connection with Entwistle, which later deteriorated.
Once the men discovered her involvement in prostitution, they began dropping her off—often against her will—in Hillfields to sell herself.
They kept most of the money she earned, while continuing to drug her heavily to maintain control over her.
The court heard that on one particularly heinous occasion, she was sold without her consent to four men, who planned to take turns abusing her in an alleyway.
As part of their sentences, both men were ordered to register as sex offenders for life.
Additionally, they are subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order, which prohibits them from having contact with any female under the age of 16 without explicit permission from her parent or guardian, who must be aware of their convictions.
Judge Lockhart emphasized the gravity of their crimes, stating, “You began to groom her and tried to turn her to your advantage.
You (Entwistle) were working with Martin Cantle, sharing an interest in young girls and drug supply.
No doubt you were impressed with his criminal connections.” The case highlights the disturbing extent of exploitation faced by vulnerable young girls in the area and underscores the importance of vigilant law enforcement and community awareness to combat such heinous crimes.
