A 65-year-old man has been convicted of murdering a sex worker and then enlisting his daughter to help dispose of her body in a canal in the West Midlands. The verdict was delivered at Birmingham Crown Court on Thursday, September 3.
Chereiss Bailey, 36, was last seen alive on September 27 last year after meeting John Anslow in West Bromwich. The court heard that Anslow violently killed her at his bungalow in Stour Street.
Killing and Disposal of the Body
The following morning, Anslow contacted his daughter, Hayley-marie Ferguson, 42, of Heronville Road, West Bromwich, who took a taxi to his home, bringing paving slabs with her. After helping to clean the address and remove incriminating evidence, Ferguson attended a Peaky Blinders event that evening in fancy dress.
Later, she returned to her father's property, and together the pair placed Ms Bailey's body in Anslow's wheelchair and pushed it to a spot on the Walsall Canal, known as 'eight locks', near Ryders Green Road. There, they dumped her body in the water, attached to the paving slabs.
Recovery and Court Proceedings
Ms Bailey's remains were recovered from the canal on October 7. Anslow was found guilty of murder and had already admitted preventing the lawful and decent burial of a body. Ferguson, who was not alleged to have been involved in Ms Bailey's killing, was found guilty of preventing the lawful and decent burial of her body as well as assisting an offender. The pair will be sentenced at a later date.
In a statement, Ms Bailey's family said: "Chereiss was a much-loved daughter, sister, mother, auntie, granddaughter and friend, but those words alone could never explain what she meant to us. She had a huge personality, a beautiful heart and a way of making her presence known wherever she went. Life was never quiet when Chereiss was around, and we would give absolutely anything to have that noise back."
They continued: "The hardest part is knowing how much life she still had left to live. There should have been more birthdays, more Christmases, more laughter, more family memories and so many ordinary days that we never imagined we would have to live without her. Most heartbreaking of all, her little boy has been robbed of growing up with his mum beside him. We will make sure he grows up knowing exactly who she was, how much she adored him and how fiercely she was loved. We want Chereiss remembered for Chereiss. For her smile, her humour, her kindness, her love for her family and all the little things that made her who she was."
Police Reaction and Family Impact
Detective Inspector Michelle Cordell said: "It is difficult to comprehend the abhorrent actions of John Anslow and his daughter Hayley Ferguson late September last year. Anslow had presented himself as a vulnerable wheelchair user with extremely limited mobility. He was in fact a violent predator. His daughter Hayley had also presented as having limited mobility, evidence of which proves otherwise. Chereiss was killed in John Anslow's home and we may never know what motivated him to commit such an awful attack on a woman."
She added: "Our team have worked relentlessly to gather and present evidence shown during this trial. I hope today's verdict provides some comfort to Chereiss' family who have acted with incredible dignity and restraint throughout this difficult process, and who continue to grieve her loss." The sentencing for both Anslow and Ferguson is scheduled for a later date.
