Bolton: Man admits guilt ahead of Blackrod sex abuse trials

Ross Corley, 28, was one of 13 men charged after “Operation Pavarotti”, a major police investigation into child sex abuse in the Blackrod area.

Having originally denied two counts of sexually activity with a child, Corley changed his pleas to guilty when brought back before Bolton Crown Court this week.

The Honorary Recorder for Bolton Judge Martin Walsh said: “If the prosecution conclude that the matter should await the outcome of the trial then the matter will be relisted.”

Stood in the dock dressed in a formal blue suit Corley, of Blackrod, spoke only to confirm his identity and to enter his pleas.

(L-R top row) Darbyshire, Fitzgerald, Flatters(L-R middle row) Haslam, Linfoot, Corley(L-R bottom row) Hesketh, Turner, Rae (Image: PA)

He admitted to two counts of sexual activity with a child, both of which took place in the Blackrod area in 2018.

Matthew Cullen, defending, asked for a pre-sentence report to be completed on Corley before he learns his fate.

Prosecutor Timothy Ashmole, agreed to this but said he may need to be sentenced after the trials.

Callum Hesketh (Image: PA)

Another of the men, 23-year-old Callum Hesketh of Chorley, has already pleaded guilty to making an indecent image of a child, in this case a Snapchat video in June 2018.

Hesketh was found not guilty of a second charge of distributing an indecent image of a child earlier in October this year after no evidence was offered.

The Chorley man was released on bail but has been electronically tagged and curfewed between 9.30pm and 6.30am until he can be brought back for sentencing after the other trials have finished.

The remaining 11 men deny a wide range of child sex abuse charges and will be tried across two separate trials.

The co-defendants include Ashley Darbyshire, 26, of Westhoughton, Corey Barratt, 22, of Wigan, Harvey Aspden, 23, of Bolton, Jack Poulson, 29, of Blackrod, Richard Haslam, 34, of Bolton, and James Fitzgerald, 34, of Bolton.

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They also include Elliott Turner, 24, of Bolton, Brandon Harwood, 23, of Horwich, Daniel Flatters, 32, of Darcy Lever, Michael Linfoot, 22, of Chorley and Thomas Rae, 21, also of Chorley.

The first trial is now set to start on September 23, 2024 and is expected to last around 12 weeks, while the second is expected to start in January 20, 2025 and is expected to last two weeks.

Corley was released on bail under the same terms as before, but Judge Walsh invited the prosecution to decide if his sentencing should be delayed until after his co-defendant’s trials.

If not, Corley will be brought back to court to learn his fate on January 9 next year.