SWADLINCOTE MAN MARTYN SMITH CAUGHT IN DERBYSHIRE PAEDOPHILE PLOT

In January 2021, a disturbing case unfolded involving Martyn Smith, a resident of Swadlincote, who became the subject of a serious criminal investigation after attempting to engage in inappropriate online communication with a girl he believed to be only 13 years old. The incident highlights the dangers of online predators and the vigilance of paedophile hunter groups working to protect vulnerable children.

According to court reports, Smith, aged 38 at the time, initiated contact with an individual he thought was a young girl named Isobel. Over the course of their online exchanges, Smith sent her two explicit photographs of his private parts and repeatedly referred to her as 'hot and stunning' after she sent him a photograph of herself. He expressed a desire for her to 'run off and get married' once she turned 16, revealing his inappropriate intentions.

Unbeknownst to Smith, the girl he was communicating with was not a real child but a decoy operated by a self-styled paedophile hunter group. These vigilant groups often pose as minors to catch potential offenders and alert authorities. The group contacted the police, informing them that they were outside Smith's former address on Nottingham Road in Somercotes, Derbyshire, and were prepared to confront him.

During the court proceedings at Derby Crown Court, Smith's legal representative revealed that since his arrest, he had found faith in Islam, which the court noted as a significant personal development. Recorder Paul Mann QC sentenced Smith to a two-year community order, emphasizing that despite his extensive criminal record, this was his first conviction related to a sexual offence.

Recorder Mann QC expressed his view that Smith appeared genuinely remorseful, stating, “In spite of you having a terrible criminal record, this is your first sex offence. It is clear from everything I have read you are humiliated by your own behaviour, and it is because of your shame and embarrassment you struggled to give a straight account as to why you did it.”

The judge also pointed out that Smith believed he was communicating with an older individual, not a minor, which he claimed led to his actions. Smith admitted to feeling like a 'creep' and asked the girl to delete his messages. However, despite being told she was only 13, he continued to engage with her, flattering her and eventually sending explicit images of himself, first in his underpants and later of his private parts.

Prosecutor Dawn Pritchard detailed that the offending took place between December 2019 and January 2020. She explained that Smith initially told the girl to delete his messages and to contact him again when she turned 16, but he continued the conversation despite his misgivings. When she sent him a photo of herself, he responded with compliments and expressed a desire to marry her when she was of legal age.

The situation culminated when the paedophile hunter group arrived at Smith’s former residence in Nottingham Road, Somercotes, and called the police. Officers promptly arrested him, and he subsequently pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, a charge that underscores the seriousness of his actions and the ongoing efforts to combat online child exploitation.