OLIVER SMITH FROM DROITWICH JAILED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENSES IN WORCESTER

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Droitwich and the surrounding areas, Oliver Smith, aged 53, has been sentenced to prison after attempting to meet a girl he believed to be just 10 years old for sexual activity. The incident unfolded in Worcester, where Smith had engaged in a series of predatory online communications that ultimately led to his arrest.

According to the prosecution, Giles Nelson, during the proceedings at Worcester Crown Court, detailed how Smith had initiated conversations on social media platforms with an individual he believed to be the mother of a young girl. Unbeknownst to him, the person he was communicating with was an undercover police officer posing as the child's mother. These exchanges included highly inappropriate messages, with Smith explicitly describing his intentions to engage in sexual acts with the child.

During the court hearing, messages were read aloud, revealing Smith’s disturbing plans. The defendant was told to come prepared for the meeting, to which he responded that he had not anticipated it to escalate so far and expressed a desire to have sex with the child during their first encounter. The police had arranged a meeting at Webbs of Wychbold, a location familiar to many in the area, on March 19. When Smith arrived and stepped off a bus outside the garden centre, officers swiftly apprehended him.

In custody, police found a condom in Smith’s shirt, indicating his intent. He refused to answer questions during the police interview, offering no comment on the charges against him. The case was further complicated by Smith’s criminal history; in 2006, he was convicted of possessing over 1,000 indecent images of children and distributing them in large quantities, a fact that the court considered an aggravating factor in his sentencing.

During the trial, the defense highlighted that Smith and his wife were now just friends, and that she remained supportive of him, which the court regarded as a positive aspect, suggesting he had a support system awaiting him upon release. However, Judge James Burbridge emphasized the seriousness of the case, stating, “You have a past conviction, I have to deal with you as a person with entrenched paedophile faults and protect children.”

As a result, Oliver Smith, of Woodman’s Rise, Droitwich, was sentenced to five years and three months in prison for attempting to cause or incite a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity. Additionally, he received a concurrent sentence of four years for arranging or facilitating a child sex offence. The judge also imposed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order to restrict Smith’s future activities and protect the community from potential harm. The sentencing took place last Friday, marking a significant step in addressing this disturbing case and reinforcing the ongoing efforts to safeguard children from sexual predators.