March 2022: Smith had his appeal against his sentence dismissed The appeal had been made on grounds, including that it had been “manifestly excessive” and had not taken into account his previous good character. But Lady Justice Thirlwall, one of three judges presiding over the case, dismissed the appeal stating they did not agree that the “sentences were excessive let alone manifestly so”. September 2021 Child care officer sentenced to 21 years A child care officer has been jailed for 21 years for sexually abusing two pupils at a complex needs school. Michael Smith, 64, of High Street, Dereham, was convicted of 16 offences against two boys in their early teens at the school in Norfolk. The crimes took place between 2014 and 2016, but Smith continued to abuse one victim until 2018, after the boy had left the school, police said. Upon his release he will spend a further seven years on licence. Smith worked as a child care officer at the school and was convicted at an earlier hearing at Norwich Crown Court. He was also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order and will be on the sex offenders register indefinitely. May 2021 Man guilty of sex offences against vulnerable victim A man has been found guilty of a string of sex offences involving a vulnerable victim, who was spared coming to court during the trial in a first for Norfolk courts.  Michael Smith, 64, of High Street, Dereham, was found guilty of one count of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, causing and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and causing or inciting a person with a mental disorder impeding choice to engage in sexual activity. The jury at Norwich Crown Court took less than three hours to convict Smith of all charges. During the trial the vulnerable victim gave his evidence and was cross examined on a pre-recorded video, which was a first for Norfolk. The measures deployed meant the victim did not have to directly attend court while the trial took place, but was able to give his evidence in advance. It is usual for victims in sex cases to give their evidence-in-chief on tape in advance and then be cross-examined over a live link during the actual  trial. However in this case the victim also allowed to be cross-examined on pre-recorded tape. Judge Andrew Shaw told the jury in his summing up that it was the first Norfolk trial where pre-recorded cross-examination had been deployed in this way. Judge Shaw said this meant the vulnerable witness did not have to wait until the trial to be cross -examined about his evidence. He said Smith was present when his barrister Ian James cross-examined the complainant and stressed the cross-examination was carried out in exactly the same way as if it had happened during the trial. “The use of special measures does not give added support for the prosecution case. The evidence was given as if he was called into the witness box.” Judge Shaw explained to the jury the measures were to help the complainant give the best evidence he could.  Following the guilty verdicts Judge Andrew Shaw adjourned sentence for reports. Smith is due to be sentenced on June 25.