Predatory man jailed after turning vulnerable woman into prostitute

By Michael Drummond, Reporter28th January 2020News WalesCourts / Justice, News Wales, Prostitution, Sexual Abuse, South Wales, Sussex, Vulnerable Adults

A predator who met a vulnerable woman on a dating website and turned her into an prostitute working for him has been jailed.

Peter Drury (pictured) used her and others to provide sexual services for money to men across the South East and South Wales, police say.

But he was snared by law enforcement after a 26-year-old woman living in West Sussex contacted officers in April 2019.

Detectives found evidence that Drury had had several other women working for him as prostitutes over a six-year period, but were unable to identify most of them, Sussex Police said.

Drury, 49, of Wellfield Avenue, Neath, South Wales, was jailed for 16 months at Lewes Crown Court last Thursday, police have now announced.

He had pleaded guilty to a charge of controlling prostitution for gain between 2013 and 2019 at Crawley Magistrates’ Court on November 28 2019.

During the time of the offence, Drury also had links to Gravesend in Kent.

To carry out his criminal operation, Drury set himself up as an online escort service and took the woman to men who had contacted him for his “services”.

Drury would take a 50% cut of all she earned.

Over time, the stress of this arrangement caused her increasing distress and eventually she came to the police for help.

While there was evidence that several other women also worked for Drury, only one was identified and she did not wish to give evidence, police told the PA news agency.

Detective Constable Andy Roe, who investigated the case, said; “Drury systematically preyed on and exploited this very vulnerable woman for his own financial purposes.

“As soon as she came to us we immediately began enquiries and traced Drury and we are glad that this exploitative man has now been brought to justice.

“His conviction and sentencing sends the message that we will always pursue reports of anyone having been exploited for sexual or any other sinister purpose.

“If you or anyone you know is being exploited or assaulted, we can be contacted at any time online or by calling 101, and arrangements can be made for you to talk to experienced investigators.”