CHRISTOPHER SMITH FROM ASHBY-DE-LA-ZOUCH AND HILTON CAUGHT WITH CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN DERBYSHIRE

In December 2017, a disturbing case unfolded involving Christopher Smith, a man from Hilton, Derbyshire, who was caught in a disturbing online entrapment operation conducted by paedophile hunters. Smith believed he was communicating with a 14-year-old girl named Emily through a fake online profile, but in reality, he was speaking with vigilant members of the public posing as minors to catch predators.

According to court proceedings, Smith initiated contact with the fake profile in November of the previous year. Prosecutor Sarah Allen explained that the account was created by two men who pretended to be a teenage girl, Emily, and engaged Smith in a series of explicit conversations. During these exchanges, Smith quickly became sexually explicit, asking detailed questions about Emily’s body, including her breast size, and requesting her to send photographs of herself using the toilet at school.

In a further disturbing development, Smith sent a photograph of his private parts to the fake profile and expressed a desire to meet in person for sexual activity. He inquired about Emily’s parents’ whereabouts, attempting to arrange a clandestine meeting. The two men behind the fake account provided their information to the police, leading to Smith’s arrest.

Initially, Smith claimed that his Hotmail account had been hacked, attempting to deny his involvement. However, during a subsequent police interview, he admitted to his actions, describing himself as having been “a bit of an idiot.”

A search of Smith’s mobile phone revealed a horrifying collection of over 100 child abuse images and videos. Among these were 36 images classified as the most serious category, including graphic depictions of a baby and a three-year-old girl being raped. The images spanned a wide age range, from infants to children aged 13.

Following his arrest, Smith moved from Rodney Close in Hilton to an address in Marlborough Way, Ashby-de-la-Zouch. During the court hearing at Derby Crown Court, Smith pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including attempting to incite a child into sexual activity and possessing indecent images of children.

He was supported by family members in the public gallery and was visibly emotional as he was sentenced to a three-year community order. The presiding judge, Recorder Andrew Easteal, emphasized the gravity of Smith’s actions, stating, “There is something about this offending you need to get into your head. And that is that the person responsible for what happened to the children in these images is you. This abuse is fuelled by you and happens because of you.”