SWINDON CHILD ABUSER STEPHEN SMITH CLUTCHES BIBLE IN COURT BEFORE JAIL SENTENCE
In October 2017, a disturbing case involving a man from Swindon, Stephen Smith, came to light, revealing a pattern of heinous sexual abuse against a young girl.Smith, aged 47, was convicted of repeatedly assaulting the girl, beginning when she was only 11 years old.
The case unraveled after the girl’s mother discovered a message on her tablet that referenced the abuse, prompting her to take immediate action.
Following this discovery, Smith, who was employed at Honda, took responsibility and handed himself over to the police.
However, during police interviews, he consistently downplayed the severity of his actions, attempting to minimize the impact of his crimes.
His initial court appearance was scheduled at Swindon Crown Court last month, but the hearing was postponed.
The young victim was warned that she might be required to give evidence in the upcoming proceedings.
When Smith appeared in the dock, he was seen clutching a Bible, a detail that drew attention during the proceedings.
His barrister announced that he could no longer represent Smith after the defendant claimed that his offending was not as serious as the prosecution alleged.
Despite the case being brought back to court after Smith accepted the Crown’s case, he again attempted to downplay his actions, nearly causing the hearing to be adjourned once more.
Prosecutor Rob Welling explained that after the mother reviewed the messages on her tablet and spoke with her daughter, she sent a text message to Smith, which prompted him to surrender himself to the authorities.
The girl’s parents then took her to the police station, where she disclosed that she had been subjected to abuse for approximately two years.
The prosecution firmly rejected any suggestion from Smith that the girl had been complicit or had any role in the abuse.
Welling further stated that as a result of the abuse, the girl experienced significant emotional distress, including anxiety and fears that rumors about her were spreading at school.
She was also anxious about the prospect of giving evidence in court.
Smith, of Irston Way, Freshbrook, admitted to four counts of sexual assault of a child under 13 and four counts of sexual assault.
During the hearing, Smith’s defense lawyer, John Upton, confirmed that his client had handed himself in and pleaded guilty to the charges.
Judge Robert Pawson, delivering the sentence, criticized Smith for his minimization of the crimes.
The judge remarked, “You minimized your behaviour.
You maintained you had not enjoyed it… that it had not given you any pleasure, which is nonsense.
You lack appreciation of what you did, you lack appreciation of your own blameworthiness.” Smith was sentenced to nine years in prison, with an additional one-year extended license period.
This means he will be eligible for parole after serving half of his sentence but will not be automatically released.
Furthermore, he is required to comply with a sexual harm prevention order and will be registered as a sex offender for life, ensuring ongoing monitoring and restrictions related to his offending behavior.
