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Watch above: The sentences handed to each of the gang members

A child rapist has been caged for life and eight others have been jailed for a total of 58 years for committing sexual offences against a teenage boy who was subjected to a “horrifying” catalogue of abuse in Birmingham.

A three-month trial was told that the victim, who was in the care of a Midland council, was raped and repeatedly sold for sex in Birmingham’s red light district during 2009 and 2010.

Warwick Crown Court heard that some of the horrific abuse was even streamed live on the internet and that he had been stripped, beaten with a stick, and raped by two of the nine defendants.

The court also heard that West Midlands Police had twice failed to properly investigate the allegations and the victim, now in his 20s, was even locked up himself in a secure unit.

Jurors deliberated for more than 30 hours in May before convicting eight defendants from the West Midlands, London and Stoke-on-Trent of offences involving the boy.

A ninth man was cleared by the jury of committing offences against the teenager but had previously admitted facilitating child prostitution in relation to the victim.

The trial heard that the victim who was in local authority care was left “traumatised” by the offences against him, which began in his early teens.

Opening the case against the defendants in February, prosecutor Rosina Cottage QC said the complainant, now aged in his early 20s, was first spoken to by police in 2009.

Ms Cottage said of the victim: “Regrettably his contemporaneous complaints were not fully investigated by West Midlands Police in 2009 and 2010.”

But during a subsequent inquiry in 2012, the teenager, who cannot be identified, was able to point police towards those involved in his alleged exploitation.

The youngster - who was sold “like goods” in Birmingham city centre - had a troubled family background and absconded from a care home in the Midlands for a number of days, the court heard.

A victim impact statement, that was read to the court by Prosecutor Rosina Cottage QC last week, said the victim had been “totally destroyed” by the abuse.

He also said a lack of action from police in both 2009 and 2010 had made him feel like nobody cared about him.

The statement said: “After talking to the police nothing happened. I felt degraded and I felt that nobody cared about me.

“I hated the sexual activity but I felt like I never had a choice. I wanted to put a stop to it, but again the police did not listen. I felt like I was not important to anyone.

“I have tried to live a normal life, I can’t hold down a normal job and I don’t know any other way to make money but the sex trade.

“This has totally destroyed me mentally.”

Judge Sylvia de Bertodano said: “Each of you in your own way exploited this vulnerable boy.

“Therefore you are each partly responsible for his situation as a young man who is struggling to get his life back together and finds himself unable to escape from the legacy you have left him.

“The victim complained to the police very early on, before he met many of you who sit in the dock now but his complaints were not followed up.

“When he complained he found he was sent to a secure care home which he hated.”

The nine defendants convicted at Warwick Crown Court of offences connected to the sexual abuse of a teenager who was in council care are:

Alan Priest, 63, of Mucklow Hill, Halesowen, was jailed for life with a minimum term of seven years. He was convicted of two rapes and one count of sexual activity with a child.

Robert Bailey, 27, of Watt Road, Erdington, Birmingham was jailed for seven years. He was found guilty of arranging or facilitating child prostitution, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, sexual activity with a child, and making indecent photographs. He was cleared of rape.

Michael Godbold, 57, of Uxbridge Rd, Shepherd’s Bush, London was jailed for 11 years. He was acquitted of two counts of rape but convicted of sexual activity with a child, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, arranging or facilitating child prostitution, and possession of controlled drugs.

As he was led away to the cells, Godbold shouted: “I am not guilty of half these charges.” Judge de Bertodano responded: “That’s something you can discuss with your barrister.”

Tahir Hussain, 34, of St Josephs Road, Ward End, Birmingham, was jailed for seven years. He was cleared of 15 charges, including trafficking for sexual exploitation, but found guilty of two counts of sexual activity with a child.

Peter Joynes, 58, of Canberra Way, Highgate, Birmingham, was jailed for four years. He was convicted of arranging or facilitating child prostitution and sexual activity with a child.

Stephen Kelly, of Elm Road, Bournville, Birmingham, was jailed for eight years. He was found guilty of two counts of arranging or facilitating child prostitution and one of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child. The 39-year-old was cleared on three other charges.

Ian Prestleton, 54, of High Haden Road, Cradley Heath, was jailed for three years. He was found guilty of sexual activity with a child but cleared of rape.

Ashley Sherrington, 25, of Dawlish Drive, Stoke-on-Trent, was jailed for nine years. He was convicted of two counts of rape.

Kevin Tudor, 55, of no fixed address, was jailed for nine years and handed an extended eight-year licence period. He was cleared by the jury on four charges, including three rapes, but had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual activity with a child and facilitating prostitution.

A tenth defendant - former Special Constable Ronald Potter, aged 78 and from Pippers Lane, Fillongley, near Coventry - was jailed for three years.

He was convicted of two indecent assaults committed against another boy in 2001 and 2002, which came to light as part of the investigation.

Jailing Potter, Judge de Bertadano accepted that the pensioner was previously of exemplary character, having lived as a family man while forging a successful business.

The judge told Potter: “I don’t doubt that these proceedings have caused you very considerable stress.

“You were effectively leading a double life which few of your friends or family knew about or even suspected.”