A prolific sex offender who committed a series of sex attacks – some with his son – has died in prison. In 2012, Barry Ford, then 64, was jailed for 18 years for a string of sex attacks dating back to the 1980s.
Ford was jailed for six counts of rape and 10 of sexual assault. His son Craig McKellar, said to have been corrupted by his pervert dad, received 10 years for three counts of rape and four of sexual assault.
The pair from Colwyn Bay had both been charity shop workers – outwardly giving the appearance of being considerate men giving of their time to help others.
But out of sight they had sexually taken advantage of children and young and vulnerable women. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox
“They were assaulted, used as sexual objects,” the judge told them.
It was revealed that previous complaints had been made to the police in the Midlands in the 1980s and 1990s about Ford, but he was not prosecuted. Victims, many of them children and young people at the time of the offences, came forward in 2011 and complained to North Wales Police.
A report has now been released confirming his death last summer.
An independent investigation into the death at HMP Littlehey, on August 29, was launched. A report on the investigation was released in April.
Adrian Usher, Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, said: “He (Ford) died of normal pressure hydrocephalus (a brain condition) caused by frailty in old age, on 29 August 2025, at HMP Littlehey. He was 77 years old.”
He added: “The clinical reviewer concluded that the clinical care Mr Ford received at Littlehey was equivalent to that which he could have expected to receive in the community.
“She was satisfied that the relevant care plans were in place and that Mr Ford was reviewed regularly by the palliative nurse. She also found that the end-of-life care was of a high standard.”
Join the North Wales Live WhatsApp community group where you can get the latest stories delivered straight to your phone