Guilty. Man admits grooming 14yr old boy

A Birmingham man pleaded guilty to child abduction and drugs supply at Shrewsbury Crown Court today.

Macauley Jones, 28, of Greenhill Road in Handsworth, was charged on 27 October last year (2023) after an investigation by Telford Child Exploitation Team.

The investigation found Jones had planned to take a 14-year-old boy from his care home and place him at an undisclosed address to sell class A drugs on his behalf. The child had already been forced into debt by Jones and was forced to pay off his debt by selling drugs.

Today’s plea followed an evidence-led investigation.

Telford Child Exploitation Team Detective Sergeant, Lou Hickman, said: “We know that some victims do not want to speak out about the criminal exploitation they have faced for fear of reprisals and hope today’s plea sends out a clear message to those who do look to exploit children and young people that we will pursue them through evidence, with or without the victim speaking to us.”

Jones is due to be sentenced at Shrewsbury Crown Court on Friday 24 May.