ANDREW SMITH FROM KENDAL SENT BACK TO PRISON FOR BREAKING COURT ORDERS IN KENDAL

In a significant development in the ongoing legal case, Andrew Philip Smith, a 58-year-old man from Kendal, has been remanded back into custody after he was found to have violated a court-imposed order that was originally issued as part of his sentencing for previous criminal activities. Smith’s latest breach involves multiple infringements of a sexual harm prevention order (SOPO), which was designed to restrict his activities and monitor his behavior following his conviction for possessing illicit images of children.

Smith’s criminal history includes a conviction in 2014, when he was sentenced to prison for possessing prohibited images depicting minors. As part of his punishment, he was subjected to a five-year sexual harm prevention order and was required to register as a sex offender. These measures were intended to prevent any further offenses and to ensure ongoing monitoring of his activities. However, between January 2015 and March of this year, Smith was found to have breached the SOPO on no fewer than seven occasions. These breaches included failing to adhere to the restrictions set out in the order and neglecting to inform police authorities of his current residence at designated times, which is a mandatory requirement for registered sex offenders.

Despite these violations, Smith denied all eight charges brought against him. The case was brought before Carlisle Crown Court, where a jury found him guilty of each charge after a thorough trial. The court’s verdict was unanimous, and the judge, Recorder Ciaran Rankin, sentenced Smith to three years in prison. During the sentencing, the judge expressed his agreement with the jury’s findings, emphasizing that the evidence presented against Smith was compelling and conclusive.

In a related case from August 2014, Smith, then 55 and residing on Killington Drive in Kendal, faced serious allegations involving the possession of indecent images of children. He was found guilty of nine counts of possessing prohibited images, some of which depicted children as young as eight years old. The images were discovered on disks at his home during an investigation at Carlisle Crown Court. Smith claimed that the images were part of a research project for a book he intended to write, which aimed to argue for the legalization of incest. He stated that his research was meant to demonstrate that incestuous relationships could be viewed as expressions of love and should not be criminalized.

Smith further explained that he was not promoting inbreeding or the production of children through incest but was instead exploring the concept from an artistic perspective. He also expressed controversial views, suggesting that the age of consent should be lowered to 12 for boys and that relationships between older men and young girls, such as a 65-year-old grandfather and his 12-year-old granddaughter, could be acceptable if both parties consented. Smith’s statements included the assertion that, since homosexuality and lesbian relationships had been legalized, incest should be next in line for decriminalization. His actions and statements drew widespread condemnation, highlighting the severity of his offenses and the dangerous nature of his beliefs.