John Anslow and his daughter, Hayley-Marie Ferguson, have been convicted of murder and perverting the course of justice following a three-week trial. The case involved the death of Chereiss Bailey, whose body was found in a canal in West Bromwich on October 7.
Bailey was last seen on the afternoon of September 27. CCTV footage showed her entering Anslow's home in Stour Street, West Bromwich, after meeting him on Great Bridge Street. Prosecutor Michael Duck KC told the court that Bailey was a vulnerable individual who lived alone and had a chaotic lifestyle, occasionally working as a sex worker.
Evidence presented during the trial suggested an assault occurred inside Anslow's property, leading to Bailey's death. Duck stated that Bailey sustained facial fractures, bruising, and was ultimately strangled and likely bitten. The assault was described as the cause of her death.
The following morning, Anslow cancelled his community carers and contacted his daughter for assistance. Ferguson arrived at her father's address by taxi, bringing slabs, and claimed she was helping with gardening. However, early on September 29, both Anslow and Ferguson were captured on CCTV moving Bailey's body in Anslow's distinctive wheelchair. They subsequently dumped the body in the canal, locally known as "eight locks."
