TERRY SMITH, ROCHDALE DANCE TEACHER, SENTENCED TO FIVE YEARS FOR RAPE

In February 2001, a ballroom dance instructor from Rochdale, Terry Smith, aged 43, was sentenced to five years in prison for rape. Smith, who led a double life involving vice and paedophilia, was arrested after an incident in which he picked up a prostitute in Rochdale’s red light district and subjected her to a violent sexual assault in the back of his Bedford van. Police investigation revealed that Smith had a prior history of sex crimes which he had concealed from his students at his dance school.

Smith had previously served a total of seven years imprisonment in the 1970s and 1980s for sexual assault on boys and was placed on probation in 1980 following an indecent assault on a girl.

At Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester, Smith displayed no emotion as the jury found him guilty of rape. He was also ordered to remain on the sex offenders register for life.

During sentencing, Judge Adrian Smith commented, “Do not let it be said that this woman is less worthy of the court’s protection than somebody else simply because of the fact she was willing to engage in sexual activity. She screamed out in pain and she pleaded with you to stop but you responded by saying ‘Shut up or I will kill you’. She was too scared to put up any resistance fearing further violence from you. At one point she said she feared for her life.”

The court was informed that Smith, whose address was listed as Ethel Court, Newbold, Rochdale, committed the assault in March of the previous year at Tweedale Street, Rochdale, where he picked up a 33-year-old woman.

Defence solicitor Mark Savill stated that Smith's history of sexual offending began just two years after he was abused as a 14-year-old boy.