WILLIAM SMITH, THE DARWEN PREDATOR, JAILED FOR FILMING SEXUAL ATTACKS IN GREATER MANCHESTER AND LANCASHIRE

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the community of Darwen and the surrounding areas, William Smith, a 33-year-old man with a disturbing history of sexual offenses, has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 12 years at Preston Crown Court. Smith, who was formerly residing on Redearth Road in Darwen but is now without a fixed address, was convicted of multiple heinous crimes involving the sexual assault and exploitation of women and minors, many of which he secretly recorded.

His criminal activities span a period during which he engaged in a series of invasive and predatory acts, including raping one woman and sexually assaulting another, all while capturing these acts on video. The court heard that Smith had previously been serving a 40-month sentence handed down in January of the previous year, after he pleaded guilty to an extensive list of voyeurism-related charges, including 18 counts of voyeurism, two counts of attempted voyeurism, and two counts of creating indecent images of children. His prior offenses involved covertly filming women, girls, and boys in various public settings such as changing rooms, disabled toilets, and sunbed shops across Greater Manchester and Lancashire, including the Darwen Leisure Centre and the Trafford Centre.

During the recent sentencing hearing, it was revealed that Smith had committed a particularly disturbing act where he orally raped a woman and then filmed the assault. A second victim was also subjected to sexual assault, with Smith again recording the abuse. One of the women affected by his actions provided an emotional victim impact statement, describing the profound psychological harm she suffered, which led her to attempt to take her own life. Her testimony underscored the devastating impact of Smith’s crimes and the lasting trauma inflicted upon his victims.

Brett Gerrity, representing the Crown Prosecution Service, emphasized the initial denial by Smith regarding his criminal conduct. Gerrity explained that law enforcement worked diligently alongside the victims to gather compelling evidence, which ultimately compelled Smith to admit to his depraved offenses. He highlighted the disturbing nature of the case, noting that both victims had to learn about their abuse through recordings, often while sleeping, which compounded their trauma. Gerrity expressed hope that the substantial sentence would provide some measure of solace to those affected.

Details of Smith’s offending history reveal a pattern of covert filming in various locations. At the January 2020 sentencing, it was disclosed that Smith had secretly recorded victims in Darwen Leisure Centre, the Trafford Centre, and sunbed shops in Bury and across Lancashire. His methods included using a specially adapted iPhone, concealed with black tape, to film under changing room cubicles and removing vents in sunbed shops to facilitate hidden filming. His arrest followed an incident where he was caught filming a 15-year-old girl undressing in a cubicle at Darwen Leisure Centre. CCTV footage confirmed his presence in the building between 5 pm and 7:15 pm, primarily in the changing area, and he was not observed swimming.

Police investigations uncovered 23 video clips on Smith’s phone, including footage of the 15-year-old girl, as well as seven videos involving children as young as six years old. Further searches of his electronic devices revealed a total of 167 images and videos, many lasting from a few seconds to several minutes, depicting victims in various states of undress in leisure facilities across the county. Among his victims were a 13-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy. Although Judge Beverley Lunt did not classify Smith as a dangerous offender, she described him as a 'sexual predator' due to the nature of his crimes.

Earlier incidents include a 2019 case where Smith was caught filming 22 women and girls changing at Darwen Leisure Centre. During police inspection of his phone, officers discovered footage of a 15-year-old girl and an additional 21 women and girls, all filmed covertly in changing cubicles. Smith’s phone was wrapped in black tape to avoid detection, and he had joined the leisure centre under an assumed name. He pleaded guilty to two charges of voyeurism and was remanded in custody to be sentenced at Preston Crown Court. The court was told that Smith’s previous conviction for voyeurism in 2016 had resulted in his placement on the Sex Offenders’ Register and the imposition of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Smith’s pattern of offending demonstrates a disturbing obsession with secretly filming vulnerable individuals in private settings across Darwen and the wider Greater Manchester and Lancashire areas. His actions have caused significant emotional and psychological damage to his victims, many of whom are minors. The court’s verdict aims to serve justice for those affected and to prevent further harm from this predatory individual.