EDWARD SMITH BURY PAEDOPHILE EX-FOOTBALL COACH CAUGHT IN SHOCKING SNAPCHAT PLOT

A disturbing case has emerged involving Edward Smith, a man with a troubling history of sexual offenses, who attempted to exploit a teenage girl through social media platforms. The incident took place in Bury, where Smith, a 29-year-old former football coach and high school teaching assistant, engaged in a series of inappropriate online communications that have now led to his conviction.

According to court reports, Smith believed he was messaging a 14-year-old girl via Snapchat, offering her what he termed 'PE sex education lessons.' Unbeknownst to him, the girl’s mother was actively monitoring her daughter’s online activity and had taken steps to uncover the truth behind the messages. The mother had become suspicious after her daughter confided in her about explicit messages she had received on her Instagram account from an individual claiming to be a peer.

In a calculated move, the mother decided to act as her daughter online, engaging in conversations with the man. It was during these exchanges that Smith, unaware of the mother's involvement, requested explicit photographs of the girl in her underwear and sent explicit selfies of himself. The messages quickly turned sexual in nature, with Smith asking for details such as her bra size and the type of underwear she wore. He also offered to provide 'PE sex education lessons,' which included sending pornographic videos and discussing intimate topics.

Once the mother realized the danger, she blocked Smith and promptly reported his behavior to the police. The authorities traced his IP address, leading to his arrest. A subsequent examination of his mobile phone revealed that Smith had already deleted both Snapchat and Instagram accounts, attempting to erase his digital footprints. During police interviews, Smith admitted to trying to contact the girl and revealed that he had been communicating with other children as well.

It was also disclosed that Smith had a prior conviction from 2017, when he was sentenced to 33 months in prison after admitting to engaging in sexual activity with a vulnerable teenage girl. As part of his sentence, he was placed on the sex offenders' register and was subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), which prohibited him from contacting children or using electronic devices and social media platforms.

In court, Smith pleaded guilty to charges of attempting to engage a child in sexual communications and breaching the terms of his SHPO. The judge sentenced him to 28 months in prison. The court heard that the online interactions began in October of the previous year, during which Smith had been volunteering at a local dog pound. His attempts to contact the girl included following her on Instagram and initiating conversations that quickly turned sexual.

The girl’s mother expressed her relief and gratitude for her daughter’s bravery in confiding in her. She stated, 'The incident caused me a great deal of concern - thankfully my daughter was sensible enough to tell me what was happening and I was able to protect her from being a victim of this man.' This case highlights the ongoing dangers posed by online predators and the importance of vigilance and swift action to protect vulnerable children from exploitation.