In 2019, the Offender Database recorded that James Dempsey, then 35, of Eden Road, Solihull, West Midlands, was jailed for 27 months for the abduction of a five-month-old baby and a high-speed police pursuit. On appearing at Birmingham Crown Court for sentencing, it was reported that Dempsey had triggered a massive 36-hour manhunt after taking the infant from an address in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, on 3 April 2019. The court reported that the career criminal had initially told the child’s mother he was “just popping to the shop” before disappearing with her car, phone, and child.
The investigation established that Dempsey sold the mother’s iPhone to purchase drugs, which he then consumed in the presence of the infant. West Midlands Police reported that the defendant ignored advice from a friend to return the baby, choosing instead to stay on the run because he was worried about the mother’s reaction to her sold phone. The prosecution reported that at 1am on 4 April, police spotted Dempsey driving a silver Vauxhall Astra on the A45 towards Coventry, leading to a dangerous pursuit that only ended when officers performed a tactical collision near Birmingham Airport.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Dempsey was a serial offender with a “long catalogue” of 98 offences and 46 convictions, including theft, fraud, and harassment. Birmingham Crown Court heard how police were forced to smash the car window to rescue the child after Dempsey refused to exit the vehicle. The prosecution reported that although shards of glass fell on the baby during the rescue, the infant was otherwise unharmed. West Midlands Police body-cam footage captured the moment the child was recovered after the 34-hour ordeal.
Judge Phillip Parker QC noted that the defendant caused the mother “untold pain” and highlighted the drug use in front of the child as a significant aggravating feature. For his actions in Sutton Coldfield and Solihull, West Midlands, the judge noted that Dempsey’s extensive criminal history left no alternative but a custodial sentence. The judge noted that the total 27-month term was intended to punish the abduction and the subsequent “disgraceful” dangerous driving that put the public and the infant at risk.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For his crimes in England, James Dempsey was handed:
- Custodial Sentence: 27 months in total (21 months for child abduction and 6 months consecutive for dangerous driving).
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court following guilty pleas.
- Criminal Record: Convicted of child abduction, dangerous driving, theft, and taking a vehicle without consent.
- Disqualification: Subject to a driving ban upon release.
- Residence: Eden Road, Solihull, West Midlands.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Dempsey is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by West Midlands Police and the National Probation Service. Due to his prolific history of 98 offences in Solihull and Birmingham, his management is subject to oversight by the Integrated Offender Management team.
Upon his release from prison, Dempsey will be subject to strict licence conditions aimed at curbing his cycle of drug-related theft and erratic behaviour. Authorities state that his history of child abduction and reckless endangerment necessitates close monitoring of his conduct and residency in Solihull, West Midlands. Any breach of his licence conditions or further criminal misconduct in Birmingham or elsewhere will result in immediate arrest and a return to the court system for a lengthier term of incarceration.
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