JOHN SMART FROM PAULTON SENTENCED FOR DECADES OF CHILD SEX OFFENCES IN BRISTOL AND MIDSOMER NORTON

In October 2017, John Smart, a resident of Paulton, was released into the Midsomer Norton area after serving part of his sentence. He remains on licence until 2021, under strict conditions designed to monitor and restrict his movements and interactions.

Back in May 2012, Smart, a 61-year-old businessman with ties to multiple companies in the Paulton area, was convicted of a series of heinous child sex offences that spanned over forty years. His crimes led to a nine-year prison sentence, reflecting the severity and duration of his predatory behavior.

Smart’s criminal activities included sexual offences against three children and one adult, with the offences coming to light during a trial at Bristol Crown Court. The court heard that he had pleaded guilty to five counts of indecent assault against a 14-year-old boy during 2010 and 2011. Additionally, he was found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman in her early 20s during the 1970s, as well as multiple assaults on a young teenage girl in the same decade. Further convictions included indecently assaulting another girl on several occasions between March 1996 and March 1998, when she was between ten and twelve years old.

Judge Towler, presiding over the case, described Smart as “a serial sexual predator who hid behind a veneer of respectability.” The judge emphasized that beneath his outward appearance of normalcy, Smart had engaged in repeated acts of sexual abuse. The court took into account evidence from police investigations, trial testimonies, and admissions made by Smart to his probation officer when delivering the sentence.

As part of his sentencing, a Sexual Offenders Prevention Order was issued. This order prohibits Smart from living in a house with anyone under 16 unless approved by Social Services. It also restricts him from having unsupervised contact with females under 18 unless their parents are aware of his criminal history and have given approval. Furthermore, Smart is only permitted to use internet-enabled devices that cannot have their search histories deleted, and these devices are subject to police inspection at any time. He is also required to remain on the Sex Offenders Register for the rest of his life.

DI Mike Williams of the Bath and North East Somerset Police Public Protection Unit expressed his thoughts on the case, stating, “My thoughts are with the victims of this investigation, who bravely gave evidence during the trial of sexual offences committed against them by a manipulative sexual predator.” He added, “I am pleased with the verdicts and sentence passed today, which I hope provides the victims with some closure and allows them to move on with their lives, knowing that he will serve a lengthy custodial sentence for the crimes committed against them.”

Williams also reassured the public that upon Smart’s release from prison, he will be closely monitored in the community as a registered sex offender, with measures in place to reduce the risk of further offending. He urged anyone who may have been a victim of sexual assault, whether in the past or present, to come forward and seek support from specially trained staff, emphasizing the importance of reporting such crimes to ensure safety and justice.