IAN SMITH'S REPEATED OFFENSES IN YORK AND GRIMSBY: ACOMB, SCUNTHORPE, AND BEYOND

In October 2014, Ian Smith, a 48-year-old man with a troubling criminal history, was once again brought before the courts following a series of violations of court orders and criminal conduct that spanned several years and multiple locations, including Grimsby, Acomb, Scunthorpe, and York.

Smith, formerly residing on Highfield Avenue in Grimsby, was found guilty of breaching a sexual offences prevention order (SOPO) and possessing controlled substances, specifically amphetamine and cannabis, on April 19. The court was informed that Smith had been issued a 10-year SOPO in May 2011, which explicitly prohibited him from having any contact with children under the age of 16. Despite this, Smith approached a group of young individuals on Highfield Avenue, including two girls aged 16 and 15, and a six-year-old boy.

During this encounter, Smith made inappropriate remarks to the girls, asking, “Do you two do dope?” This behavior was reported by the girls after they returned home and informed their parents, leading to police involvement. The court heard that Smith’s criminal record was extensive, including a nine-year prison sentence for rape and indecent assault, along with convictions for dishonesty, burglary, public order offenses, possession of amphetamine, and breaching the peace. Notably, he had previously served a 21-month sentence in 2012 for violating the sexual offences prevention order.

In mitigation, Simon Hirst acknowledged Smith’s complex and troubling history, noting that he had already spent approximately five and a half months in custody on remand. Despite this, the court sentenced Smith to an additional 16 months in prison, emphasizing the seriousness of his breach and the risk posed to the community.

Earlier, in May 2012, Smith’s criminal activities led to his return to prison after a separate incident in York. At that time, Smith, a forklift driver, was 45 years old and had recently completed a nine-year sentence for sexually abusing a girl under 16 in Humberside. He was also subject to a court order in Scunthorpe that prohibited any contact with minors.

Prosecutor Alan Mitcheson detailed that on December 27, Smith approached a 15-year-old girl in Acomb while she was waiting for a bus. He invited her to his home for a “smoke and a drink,” and despite her attempts to distance herself, he followed her and waited outside a phone box as she tried to call her grandmother. Smith then walked with her along the street, attempting to arrange a meeting the following day, even after she explicitly told him she was only 14. The girl, hoping to shame him into stopping, tried to reduce her age in her mind, but eventually managed to escape, reach her grandmother, and contact the police.

Smith, of Carr Lane, Acomb, pleaded guilty to breaching the SOPO issued by Scunthorpe magistrates in May 2011. Judge Stephen Ashurst of York Crown Court described Smith’s behavior as creating a “real and obvious risk” to the very individuals the order was designed to protect. Consequently, he was sentenced to a term of one year and nine months in prison.

During the sentencing, the judge highlighted Smith’s history of problematic behavior, noting that while on parole from his previous nine-year sentence imposed at Hull Crown Court in 2001, he was repeatedly recalled to prison due to his disturbing conduct, which included attempts to contact individuals interested in child sexual abuse. The authorities had successfully sought the SOPO in 2011 as Smith’s parole was nearing expiration.

Steven Crossley, representing Smith, stated that his client had not targeted the girl intentionally. He explained that Smith had been out for a walk at a time when he was more likely to encounter adults than children and was unaware of her age at first contact. Smith expressed remorse for the distress caused and emphasized that this was his first breach of the order. He also shared that he had recently secured employment and a flat, which he hoped to maintain after his release from custody.

Overall, the case underscores the ongoing challenges and risks associated with Ian Smith’s criminal behavior, highlighting the importance of strict enforcement of court orders designed to protect vulnerable minors across the towns of Acomb, Grimsby, Scunthorpe, and York.