PAUL SMITH FROM GATESHEAD, HEATON, AND WALLSEND SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND GROOMING CASES

In a disturbing series of crimes that spanned several years, Paul Smith, a man from Gateshead, Heaton, and Wallsend, has been convicted of heinous offenses involving the exploitation and abuse of young girls. His actions, which included grooming minors online, sharing explicit images, and engaging in sexual activities with underage victims, have shocked the local community and prompted a serious legal response.

Smith, aged 34, of Heaton, Newcastle, pleaded guilty to multiple charges that included meeting a child following online grooming, creating and possessing indecent images of children, and possessing extreme pornography. The court also heard that he was involved in the distribution of these illicit materials across international borders, with some images and videos being shared with recipients in the United States, Canada, and Amsterdam.

The criminal activities took place between November 2007 and May of the following year, with investigations revealing that Smith targeted at least two different teenage girls in the Gateshead area. His disturbing online behavior was uncovered after police seized his computer during an investigation prompted by a report from one of his victims. The victim, a 12-year-old girl, had confided in her mother about receiving inappropriate messages from Smith via a messaging service. Prosecutors detailed how Smith had made contact with her, complimenting her appearance, inquiring about her relationships, and attempting to recruit her into his cadet group.

On July 2, Smith arranged to meet the girl after chatting online, and he picked her up from school, leading her to believe they would not be alone. However, he took her back to his home, where he took explicit photographs of her. The online exchanges between the two continued even after the meeting, with Smith making disturbing comments such as, “If I was 12 again, I’d be round you like a shot.”

The victim eventually confided in her mother on April 25, 2009, prompting her to contact the police. The following day, officers seized Smith’s laptop and home computer, discovering numerous images of another teenage girl, some classified as “extreme pornography.” Further investigation revealed that Smith had been actively posting images and videos on file-sharing websites accessible in the US, Canada, and Amsterdam, indicating an international distribution network.

During the court proceedings, Recorder Nolan emphasized the severity of Smith’s actions, stating, “There is no doubt in my mind you are at present and remain a significant risk of serious harm to children when you are at liberty.” Smith showed no visible emotion during the hearing, and the judge sentenced him to an indefinite prison term, with the possibility of parole after serving two and-a-half years.

In a related case from June 2010, Smith was found to have sent explicit images of a Tyneside victim to contacts in the United States as part of a broader abuse ring. He had targeted two different schoolgirls during a campaign of planned sexual abuse and grooming. One girl, aged 13, was lured to his home after grooming, while the other victim was also exploited. Investigators uncovered that Smith had already distributed images of the second girl to a website in West Mercia and another in the US. The police found a collection of child pornography, including extreme material, stored on his devices, which further implicated him in these serious offenses.