August 2021 Darwen ‘predator’ jailed again for filming sex attacks on females A prolific ‘sexual predator’ has been jailed again after he raped one woman and sexually assaulted another – while filming their ordeal. William Smith, 33, formerly of Redearth Road, Darwen, now of no fixed address, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 12 years, at Preston Crown Court. He pleaded guilty to two offences of sexual assault by penetration and one offence of rape. Smith is currently serving a 40-month jail sentence, which he was handed in January last year after pleading guilty to 18 counts of voyeurism, two of attempted voyeurism and two of making indecent images of children He secretly filmed women, girls and boys undressing in public changing rooms, using disabled toilets or lying naked on sunbeds, at Darwen Leisure Centre, the Trafford Centre and in sunbed shops in Greater Manchester. On Friday, the court heard Smith orally raped a woman and filmed the abuse. The other victim was also sexually assaulted and again, he filmed the abuse. In an emotional victim impact statement one of the women described suffering “severe psychological harm” from the abuse, to the point that she had attempted to take her own life. Brett Gerrity, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Smith initially denied his criminality. “We worked closely with the police to build a strong case and with the help of these brave women, we were able to produce the evidence that gave him no choice but to admit to the depraved offences he stands convicted of. “This was a particularly disturbing case and has had a devastating impact on the two victims, who both had to learn about the abuse they suffered in their sleep, by watching the recordings. “Both victims are still dealing with the impact of Smith’s offences. “I truly hope that they can take some solace from the significant sentence passed on Smith today.” At Smith’s sentencing in January 2020, the court was told how he covertly filmed his victims undressing at Darwen Leisure Centre, using the disabled toilets changing rooms at the Trafford Centre, using sunbeds in the Bury area, and in wet rooms across Lancashire. The majority of Smith’s offending happened once he had been released on licence from Forest Bank Prison after he was jailed at Burnley Crown Court for filming a teenager showering without her knowledge. He used a specially-adapted iPhone covered in black tape to secretly film under changing room cubicles and also removed vents at sunbathing shops to make room for his camera. At the hearing in 2020, the court heard how Smith was caught after filming a 15-year-old undressing in a cubicle at Darwen Leisure Centre. He was traced from CCTV within the centre, which showed that Smith had been in the building between 5pm and 7.15pm, mainly in the changing village and had not been swimming. Examination of his phone found 23 video clips, including one of the 15-year-old. There were also seven videos of children in six separate clips, the youngest being six-years-old. Smith was subsequently arrested and police seized a number of electronic devices from his home. There was a total of 167 images, most videos lasting from a few seconds to a few minutes, including 64 videos in wet rooms in leisure facilities across the county, capturing his victims naked. His victims in those offences, included a 13-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy. At the time Judge Beverley Lunt stopped short of classing him as a dangerous offender but described Smith as a ‘sexual predator’. May 2019 Pervert filmed 22 women and girls getting changed at Darwen Leisure Centre A pervert was caught filming a 15-year-old girl as she got changed after a swimming session at Darwen Leisure Centre. Blackburn magistrates heard when police inspected the phone William David Smith was using they discovered under the cubicle footage of another 21 women and girls. And the court was told his bright blue phone had been wrapped in black tape to make it less noticeable as he carried out his covert activities. Smith, 30, of Redearth Road, Darwen, pleaded guilty to two charges of voyeurism. He was committed in custody to Preston Crown Court to be sentenced on June 21. Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said the incident occurred on Friday and the majority of the victims had not yet been identified. She said Smith had a previous conviction for voyeurism in 2016 which had resulted in him being put on the Sex Offenders’ Register and made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. She said on Friday a 15-year-old girl had been to the Darwen Leisure Centre for a swimming session and was using the mixed changing facilities afterwards when she noticed a hand come under the dividing panel with a phone in it. The girl waited until she heard the next cubicle door and then looked out to see the defendant walking away. When her mum picked her up she told her what had happened and the police were called. “He was arrested and when police examined his phone it became apparent he had been able to successfully film women and young girls undressing and much of the footage was very intimate,” said Miss Allan. “It also became clear there had been a high degree of planning before the commission of these offences. He had joined the leisure centre under an assumed name and he had covered his brightly coloured phone in black tape to make it less conspicuous.”