PHILLIP WOOD FROM WOOD END SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENSES IN WARWICKSHIRE AND WEST MIDLANDS

In October 2021, a disturbing case involving a pensioner from Wood End, Warwickshire, came to light as he was convicted of multiple serious sexual offenses against young girls. Phillip Wood, aged 75, was found guilty of a series of heinous crimes committed over a span of ten years, during which he exploited his victims by luring them into his flat with innocent-looking colouring books and pencils.

Detectives emphasized that no prison sentence could ever truly compensate for the pain and suffering inflicted upon the victims by Phillip Wood. His actions, which spanned across various locations in the West Midlands, included the sexual abuse of three girls aged between five and 12 years old. The crimes were committed in different settings, including Wood’s own residence and his work vehicle, highlighting a pattern of predatory behavior.

The investigation into Wood’s crimes was initiated after one of his victims came forward in 2018. Warwickshire Police arrested him following her disclosure. During the trial, prosecutor Rebeca Wade detailed how Wood targeted his first victim after meeting her mother while residing in the Quinton area of Birmingham. Wood, who was employed as a delivery driver, took the young girl to his mother’s home, where he subjected her to sexual acts, including simulated intercourse. The abuse extended to other locations, including his work vehicle, and the girl was between seven and eleven years old at the time. She was too frightened to report the abuse initially, but as an adult, she confided in her husband and formally reported the crimes to the police in 2009.

However, no immediate action was taken at that time. It was only after another victim came forward in 2018 that further investigations were launched. This second girl, approximately nine years old at the time, was playing near Wood’s flat on Glenville Avenue when he persuaded her to enter his home on multiple occasions. Inside, he indecently touched her, putting his hand down her trousers. She had attempted to report the incident earlier in 2009 but was turned away from Tamworth Police Station and advised to report it to Warwickshire Police. It was not until 2018 that she made a formal complaint.

The third victim, around seven years old, was also playing near Wood’s flat in the late 1990s when he lured her inside with promises of colouring books and pencils. Once inside, he exposed himself and forced her to touch his genitals. Before dismissing her, he handed her the colouring books and warned her not to tell anyone, threatening that her family would find her dead in the woods if she did.

Following a complex and thorough three-year investigation, Phillip Wood was charged with 34 offenses related to the abuse of these three victims. The court found him guilty of 28 counts of indecent assault of a girl under 14 and five counts of gross indecency with a child under 14. On Friday, Warwick Crown Court sentenced him to a total of 23 years in prison, marking a significant and serious conviction for his crimes against vulnerable young girls.