MARK SMYTH AND SHOCKING CHILD ABUSE IN TIDWORTH AND PEMBROKESHIRE

A military officer with an esteemed career has been sentenced to over two and a half years in prison after engaging in disturbing acts involving children in Pembrokeshire. The individual, identified as Lieutenant Colonel Mark Smyth, who was based at Tidworth, was arrested and convicted of filming naked children during a family holiday just three months after narrowly avoiding a prison sentence for similar crimes.

In August, Smyth was caught secretly recording young children at a beach in Pembrokeshire. The footage notably included girls as young as 18 months old. At the time, he was accompanied by his wife and two sons, making the incident particularly alarming. Smyth, aged 43, held a commanding position within the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, overseeing a battalion. His previous criminal behavior involved covertly filming children aged between five and 16 years old in and around Tidworth, at swimming pools and supermarkets near his military barracks.

During that earlier period, Smyth secretly installed miniature cameras inside shopping baskets to capture images up girls’ skirts and took photographs from behind changing room cubicle curtains. These illicit images were subsequently uploaded to various film-sharing websites. When he appeared at Bristol Crown Court in May, Smyth admitted to six counts of distributing indecent images, six counts of taking such images, and four counts of making indecent images. Investigations revealed that Smyth had downloaded over 5,000 images, including 205 images and four videos classified at the most serious categories, level four and five.

Despite his military accolades and glowing references from colleagues, Smyth’s criminal conduct overshadowed his career. The court was told that in the present case, Smyth was discovered filming a six-year-old girl changing clothes on the beach. Law enforcement officials found two concealed cameras in his vehicle, which he used over a four-day period to film nude children while on holiday with his family in Pembrokeshire.

The defense solicitor, James Hartson, highlighted Smyth’s service record, noting that he had served his country with distinction. However, he also stated that Smyth would face immediate dismissal from the armed forces, resulting in the loss of a pension valued at £1.1 million. The judge, Paul Thomas, emphasized that Smyth exhibited severe psychological and sexual issues. He described Smyth as a deceptive and calculating individual, who poses ongoing risks unless deprived of his liberty.

The judge remarked on the significant personal sacrifices Smyth had made, including the loss of his marriage, his esteemed military career, and his social standing. During the ongoing police investigation, Smyth, who had changed his name to Mark Radway, was found to have committed additional sexual offences. On Monday, Smyth appeared at Swansea Crown Court and pleaded guilty to 16 counts of making indecent images of children.

His sentencing included an 16-month prison term for the previous offences at Tidworth, an additional ten months for the new offences, and four months for breaching a sexual offences prevention order. Smyth was also mandated to register as a sex offender indefinitely, ensuring monitoring for the foreseeable future.