ALAN SMITH FROM CROOK JAILED FOR SEXUAL INDECENCY IN VIEW OF YOUNG GIRLS IN COUNTY DURHAM

In a disturbing incident that has shocked the local community, Alan Smith, a 54-year-old man from Crook, was convicted and sentenced to prison after he was found performing a sexual act in full view of two young girls at a bus stop in County Durham. The court heard that this was not an isolated event, as one of the girls had previously witnessed Smith engaging in similar behavior while waiting at the same bus stop.

On Thursday, November 29, Smith's actions escalated when he went to his front door and waved at the girls as they boarded their bus, an act that further alarmed the community and highlighted his inappropriate conduct. The incident was reported after one of the girls returned home and confided in her mother about what she had seen, prompting police intervention.

Prosecutor Paul Lee told Durham Crown Court that Smith was arrested shortly after the report. During police interviews, Smith admitted to being under the influence of alcohol, specifically a three-litre bottle of cider he had been drinking since approximately 6:30 a.m. on that day. Despite his intoxication, Smith claimed he could not remember the details of his actions but did recall seeing the schoolgirls at the bus stop.

The court was also informed of Smith’s criminal history, which includes convictions for indecent assault on a female under 14 and gross indecency with a child, both from the 1990s. Additionally, Smith remains subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order that prohibits him from having contact with any children while residing at his current address, a restriction that is in place until September 4, 2015.

During the hearing, defense solicitor Andrew Petterson explained that Smith’s offending behavior appears to be linked to periods of heavy drinking. Since leaving the Army in 1983, Smith has experienced intermittent employment, and his recent offenses occurred after he ended a seven-year period of sobriety last year. On the day of the incident, Smith was reportedly drinking cider and was also taking prescribed antidepressant medication, which may have affected his memory of the events.

Mr. Petterson emphasized that Smith has little or no recollection of the offense, which he attributes to his alcohol consumption combined with medication. Smith, formerly residing on Ennerdale Drive in Crook, pleaded guilty to two counts of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

In sentencing, Recorder Alistair MacDonald expressed serious concern about Smith’s behavior, stating, “It’s perfectly clear you have a problem with alcohol and when you have been drinking you seem to relate to children sexually. It’s clear that you had been drinking from early on the morning of the offence. I do note that one child didn’t report your activities immediately, reflecting the anguish such offences cause young people.”

Smith was ordered to serve a 16-month prison sentence and was also required to pay a £100 victim surcharge. Furthermore, he was mandated to register as a sex offender for the next ten years, a measure intended to protect the community and monitor his activities moving forward.