SHAWN JONES FROM BRIERLEY HILL SENTENCED FOR ATTEMPTED ABDUCTION OF SCHOOLGIRLS IN THE BLACK COUNTRY

In December 2016, a disturbing case involving Shawn Jones, a resident of Brierley Hill, came to a conclusion at Wolverhampton Crown Court. Jones, aged 45 and living on Norwood Road in Brierley Hill, was found guilty of four serious charges related to attempted abduction with the intent to commit sexual offences. The jury's verdict confirmed his involvement in multiple predatory acts targeting young girls in the Black Country area.

Jones's criminal behavior spanned over a period of approximately six months, during which he made several attempts to lure schoolgirls into his vehicle, a BMW, with the intent of committing sexual offences. His actions began on January 15, 2015, when he approached a 14-year-old girl in the Kates Hill area. During this encounter, he told her she was beautiful and offered to give her a ride, an act that caused significant distress to the young girl.

His predatory behavior did not cease there. On April 14 of the same year, Jones approached a 12-year-old girl in Cradley, making a similar offer to drive her around. Despite being arrested and released on bail following these incidents, Jones continued his attempts to target young girls. He approached two more victims, aged 13 and 14, outside a KFC outlet in Merry Hill, where he approached them while they sat in a car.

During the sentencing hearing, the court heard how these incidents had profoundly affected the victims. Prosecutor Glyn Samuel detailed that both girls involved in the KFC incident had since required counseling to cope with their trauma. One of the victims described feeling like a ‘prisoner’ within her own home, highlighting the severe psychological impact of Jones’s actions. The other two victims also expressed feelings of anxiety and nervousness about leaving their homes, illustrating the lasting emotional scars inflicted by Jones’s predatory conduct.

Judge John Wait addressed Jones directly during the sentencing, emphasizing the gravity of his actions. He stated that Jones would serve a minimum of half of his four and a half-year prison sentence behind bars, with the remainder to be served on license. Additionally, Jones was ordered to be subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and to be registered as a sex offender for life. The judge acknowledged the fact that Jones did not exit his vehicle during these encounters and considered good character references in his sentencing.

Judge Wait condemned Jones’s conduct as a calculated and repeated course of predatory behavior, noting that he exploited opportunities when the victims were alone. He described the comments made by Jones as grossly inappropriate and highly sexualized, causing significant distress to the young girls. The court’s decision reflects the seriousness with which such offenses are regarded, especially given the vulnerability of the victims and the ongoing impact on their lives.