CHORLEY MAN MARK SMITH CAUGHT IN DISTURBING CHILD SEX OFFENSES

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Chorley, Mark Smith, aged 44, faced serious allegations related to the exploitation of minors through social media platforms. The incident came to light during a court hearing at Preston Crown Court, where Smith admitted to multiple charges involving the solicitation and possession of indecent images of children.

According to court records, Smith engaged in a series of illicit communications with young girls via social media. The court was informed that between March 1 and March 7 of the previous year, he attempted to persuade a teenage girl, aged between 13 and 15, to send him indecent photographs of herself through the Kik messaging app. Additionally, he encouraged a 14-year-old girl to partake in sexual conversations, further demonstrating his predatory behavior.

The legal proceedings revealed that Smith’s offenses extended beyond online solicitation. When authorities arrested him in Chorley, they discovered a significant collection of indecent images and videos stored on his Samsung mobile phone. The police found a total of 40 pictures, with two classified as Category A, indicating the most severe level of indecency under law. Three images fell into Category B, and the remaining 35 were categorized as Category C, which still represents serious criminal material.

Further investigation uncovered that Smith also possessed indecent videos of children stored in a Dropbox folder. The files included eight videos classified as Category A, three as Category B, and 32 as Category C. These materials underscore the extent of his illegal activities and the disturbing nature of his offenses.

During the court hearing, Judge Heather Lloyd sentenced Smith to 26 weeks in prison, but the sentence was suspended for two years, meaning he will not serve time unless he commits another offense within that period. Additionally, Smith was ordered to sign the Sex Offender’s Register for a duration of seven years, a measure intended to monitor and prevent further offenses.

This case highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat online exploitation and protect vulnerable minors from predators operating under the guise of social media interactions.