SAMANTHA SMITH FROM RUTHERGLEN SENTENCED AFTER COURT INCIDENT IN HAMILTON

A woman who proclaimed 'I'm not a beast' as she was convicted of sexually abusing two children attacked a custody officer moments after being jailed. Samantha Smith, 31, from Rutherglen, Lanarkshire, had preyed repeatedly on a five-year-old boy and a three-year-old girl. She received a three-year prison sentence for a disturbing campaign of abuse that continued until the children were five and eight years old. Following her sentencing, Smith reacted violently in the court cells at Hamilton Sheriff Court last year, lashing out at a custody officer and kicking her in the stomach before being restrained.

She has since reappeared in court, admitting to the assault in November. Sheriff Douglas Brown sentenced her to an additional five months in jail to run concurrently with her current term. Depute fiscal Morag McLintock explained, 'The accused was not happy at being found guilty by the jury and caused problems in the court resulting in her being removed. She told the custody officer to go and f**k herself and kicked her on the stomach, causing her to fall and requiring assistance.' McLintock added, 'Thankfully, the officer did not suffer any injuries from her actions.'

Defence lawyer Jim O'Dowd stated, 'She apologises for her behaviour and clearly it was out-of-order, and she accepts that.' Sheriff Brown commented, 'I will impose five months imprisonment reduced from six.'

Smith had denied the abuse allegations, claiming the children—who cannot be named for legal reasons—were assaulted between November 2009 and June 2014 at a residence in East Kilbride, Lanarkshire. She expressed her disbelief at the accusations, telling jurors, 'The first I heard about this was when the police came to the house. I'm horrified to be accused of these things. I'm actually elated at the thought of being in court to clear my name over this.'

She was forced to leave her home in Blantyre, Lanarkshire, after approximately 40 people protested outside. As she was taken away to serve her sentence, Smith shouted, 'paedos should be hung not put in jail, I'm not a paedophile,' and directed a comment to the victims' relatives, saying, 'what goes around comes around.' She was also placed on the sex offenders' register indefinitely.