MARK SMYTH NAILSEA AND TIDWORTH ARMY OFFICER JAILED FOR CHILD INDECENT IMAGES AND SURVEILLANCE CRIMES
| Red Rose Database
Tidworth Nailsea Child Sexual Abuser
In a series of disturbing criminal cases, Lieutenant Colonel Mark Smyth, a high-ranking officer in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, has been convicted and sentenced for heinous acts involving the exploitation and illegal filming of children. Smyth, who resides in Nailsea, North Somerset, and has connections to Tidworth, Wiltshire, was found guilty of multiple offences related to child abuse images and covert surveillance activities spanning over several years.
The most recent conviction occurred in November 2013 at Swansea Crown Court, where Smyth admitted to taking indecent photographs and videos of young children at Whitesands, a popular beach near St Davids in Wales. The incident took place on August 2, when a holidaymaker observed Smyth pointing his camera at a six-year-old girl who was being changed into a wetsuit. Smyth had traveled to the resort with his wife and their two children, raising concerns about his motives and the extent of his criminal behavior.
Following the discovery, lifeguards and police officers responded to the scene. It was revealed that Smyth, who was still a serving Lieutenant Colonel at the time—though suspended from duty—had hidden cameras in his vehicle. Authorities had already been alerted that Smyth was in breach of a sexual offences prevention order, which had been imposed earlier in April after he admitted to filming up girls' skirts and taking photographs of children near his barracks in Tidworth, Wiltshire. Police recovered the concealed cameras and, during questioning, Smyth confessed that there was material on the devices that implicated him further.
He admitted to committing 16 separate offences involving the collection of numerous photographs of children across West Wales over a period of four days. Prosecutor Brian Simpson detailed that Smyth's actions included secretly filming children as young as five in swimming pool changing areas and other public locations. Police investigations uncovered serious child abuse images stored on one of Smyth’s computers, highlighting the severity of his criminal activities.
During the court proceedings, Simpson recounted that Smyth’s behavior was not limited to the beach incident. It was revealed that Smyth had previously engaged in similar conduct, including filming children in swimming pools and supermarkets, often using his phone to capture 'upskirt' images while shopping near his barracks in Tidworth. Smyth also uploaded these illicit videos to film-sharing websites and even traded access to his images on a Russian paedophile website, where he exchanged passwords for other child abuse material. Smyth’s actions spanned nearly two years, from January 2011 to November 2012, during which he was stationed at Tidworth.
In his defense, Smyth’s lawyer, James Hartson, argued that the consequences of his client’s actions would be devastating, including the loss of pension rights and other benefits amounting to approximately £1.1 million, as well as his dismissal from the army. Despite this, Judge Paul Thomas sentenced Smyth to 30 months in prison for the possession and creation of indecent images of children. Additionally, Smyth was placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely, reflecting the gravity of his crimes.
Judge Thomas addressed Smyth directly, stating, “I accept this is a spectacular fall from grace, you have lost your marriage, a high-flying career, and societal status. You will also face significant financial loss, but ultimately, you are responsible for your actions. It’s time you recognize that you have serious psychological and sexual issues.” The judge also noted that it was not his place to comment on the army’s decision not to dismiss Smyth after his earlier offences, but he emphasized Smyth’s calculated behavior, including taking his family on holiday to West Wales during which he continued his illicit activities. The judge described Smyth as a “devious and calculating individual” who would only be stopped by deprivation of liberty.
In a separate case from May 2013, Smyth, then known as Mark Radway, was caught secretly filming children in swimming pools and supermarkets. Smyth, also 43 and living in Nailsea, was found to have used his phone and a tiny ‘dogcam’ to record young girls, some as young as five, in various public settings. He uploaded these videos to online platforms and shared them with other offenders, trading passwords and engaging in child exploitation activities. Smyth admitted to six counts of taking indecent photographs and six counts of distributing such images, along with additional charges related to indecent images and possession of over 4,000 illegal pictures.
He was sentenced to a three-year community order and ordered to participate in a sex offenders’ group work program. The court also imposed restrictions preventing Smyth from being alone with a child, accessing the internet without supervision, or deleting web history for ten years. Prosecutor Nadeem Aullybocus highlighted that Smyth’s collection included over 5,000 images, some depicting extreme abuse and even bestiality, although police had recovered thousands of images that Smyth had deleted from his computers prior to arrest.
Throughout the proceedings, Smyth maintained that he had no sexual interest in children, claiming his actions were driven by thrill-seeking rather than sexual desire. However, the court found his behavior deeply disturbing and indicative of a predatory mindset. Rosaleen Collins, representing Smyth, emphasized that his offenses involved no direct contact with children but involved covert filming and image collection.
Following his conviction, authorities indicated that Smyth would likely face administrative action from the military, potentially leading to his dismissal. The Ministry of Defence declined to comment explicitly on his future, but a senior source suggested that given the nature of his crimes, dismissal was highly probable. Detective Inspector Mark Coleman stated, “During this period, Smyth targeted young girls in public places to film them, producing indecent images of them without their knowledge. This sentence sends a strong message that law enforcement has sophisticated systems capable of identifying offenders like Smyth and bringing them to justice.”
The most recent conviction occurred in November 2013 at Swansea Crown Court, where Smyth admitted to taking indecent photographs and videos of young children at Whitesands, a popular beach near St Davids in Wales. The incident took place on August 2, when a holidaymaker observed Smyth pointing his camera at a six-year-old girl who was being changed into a wetsuit. Smyth had traveled to the resort with his wife and their two children, raising concerns about his motives and the extent of his criminal behavior.
Following the discovery, lifeguards and police officers responded to the scene. It was revealed that Smyth, who was still a serving Lieutenant Colonel at the time—though suspended from duty—had hidden cameras in his vehicle. Authorities had already been alerted that Smyth was in breach of a sexual offences prevention order, which had been imposed earlier in April after he admitted to filming up girls' skirts and taking photographs of children near his barracks in Tidworth, Wiltshire. Police recovered the concealed cameras and, during questioning, Smyth confessed that there was material on the devices that implicated him further.
He admitted to committing 16 separate offences involving the collection of numerous photographs of children across West Wales over a period of four days. Prosecutor Brian Simpson detailed that Smyth's actions included secretly filming children as young as five in swimming pool changing areas and other public locations. Police investigations uncovered serious child abuse images stored on one of Smyth’s computers, highlighting the severity of his criminal activities.
During the court proceedings, Simpson recounted that Smyth’s behavior was not limited to the beach incident. It was revealed that Smyth had previously engaged in similar conduct, including filming children in swimming pools and supermarkets, often using his phone to capture 'upskirt' images while shopping near his barracks in Tidworth. Smyth also uploaded these illicit videos to film-sharing websites and even traded access to his images on a Russian paedophile website, where he exchanged passwords for other child abuse material. Smyth’s actions spanned nearly two years, from January 2011 to November 2012, during which he was stationed at Tidworth.
In his defense, Smyth’s lawyer, James Hartson, argued that the consequences of his client’s actions would be devastating, including the loss of pension rights and other benefits amounting to approximately £1.1 million, as well as his dismissal from the army. Despite this, Judge Paul Thomas sentenced Smyth to 30 months in prison for the possession and creation of indecent images of children. Additionally, Smyth was placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely, reflecting the gravity of his crimes.
Judge Thomas addressed Smyth directly, stating, “I accept this is a spectacular fall from grace, you have lost your marriage, a high-flying career, and societal status. You will also face significant financial loss, but ultimately, you are responsible for your actions. It’s time you recognize that you have serious psychological and sexual issues.” The judge also noted that it was not his place to comment on the army’s decision not to dismiss Smyth after his earlier offences, but he emphasized Smyth’s calculated behavior, including taking his family on holiday to West Wales during which he continued his illicit activities. The judge described Smyth as a “devious and calculating individual” who would only be stopped by deprivation of liberty.
In a separate case from May 2013, Smyth, then known as Mark Radway, was caught secretly filming children in swimming pools and supermarkets. Smyth, also 43 and living in Nailsea, was found to have used his phone and a tiny ‘dogcam’ to record young girls, some as young as five, in various public settings. He uploaded these videos to online platforms and shared them with other offenders, trading passwords and engaging in child exploitation activities. Smyth admitted to six counts of taking indecent photographs and six counts of distributing such images, along with additional charges related to indecent images and possession of over 4,000 illegal pictures.
He was sentenced to a three-year community order and ordered to participate in a sex offenders’ group work program. The court also imposed restrictions preventing Smyth from being alone with a child, accessing the internet without supervision, or deleting web history for ten years. Prosecutor Nadeem Aullybocus highlighted that Smyth’s collection included over 5,000 images, some depicting extreme abuse and even bestiality, although police had recovered thousands of images that Smyth had deleted from his computers prior to arrest.
Throughout the proceedings, Smyth maintained that he had no sexual interest in children, claiming his actions were driven by thrill-seeking rather than sexual desire. However, the court found his behavior deeply disturbing and indicative of a predatory mindset. Rosaleen Collins, representing Smyth, emphasized that his offenses involved no direct contact with children but involved covert filming and image collection.
Following his conviction, authorities indicated that Smyth would likely face administrative action from the military, potentially leading to his dismissal. The Ministry of Defence declined to comment explicitly on his future, but a senior source suggested that given the nature of his crimes, dismissal was highly probable. Detective Inspector Mark Coleman stated, “During this period, Smyth targeted young girls in public places to film them, producing indecent images of them without their knowledge. This sentence sends a strong message that law enforcement has sophisticated systems capable of identifying offenders like Smyth and bringing them to justice.”