BARRY SMART SHOCKS ALNWICK WITH BIZARRE SEXUAL ASSAULT AT BUS STATION
| Red Rose Database
Alnwick Sexual Abuser
In December 2017, a disturbing incident unfolded at a bus station in Alnwick, Northumberland, involving Barry Smart, a 41-year-old man whose reckless and inappropriate behavior left a lasting impact on a mother and her young children. The events began when Smart, reportedly intoxicated, approached a woman and her three-year-old son while they waited for a bus. Unfamiliar to him, the mother and her children were simply going about their day when Smart sat down beside them, creating an unsettling atmosphere.
According to court proceedings, Smart initially attempted to engage the toddler in conversation, which was met with innocent curiosity from the young boy. However, the situation quickly escalated when Smart, without warning, tried to physically embrace the child. As the mother tried to shield her son and move him away from the man, Smart committed a shocking act of sexual misconduct by sucking on the child's ear. This bizarre and invasive act was witnessed by the mother, who was understandably horrified and distressed.
But Smart's disturbing behavior did not end there. Turning his attention to the mother, he proceeded to grab her inappropriately, touching her between the legs and on her buttocks. The court heard that the woman, overwhelmed with fear and shock, desperately tried to push Smart away. During this ordeal, her older child, also present at the scene, was so frightened that he ran off to seek help, leaving his mother to deal with the assault alone.
As the situation unfolded, a member of the public intervened, witnessing the chaos and attempting to de-escalate the incident. Smart, who was clearly intoxicated, staggered away from the scene and left the bus station. The police were subsequently involved, and Smart was later charged with one count of sexual assault and one count of common assault.
At South East Northumberland Magistrates’ Court, prosecutor Anna Barker detailed the sequence of events. She explained that Smart approached the mother and her children on the afternoon of November 17. His initial actions involved trying to talk to the young boy, but things took a disturbing turn when he followed the child as he ran to sit beside his mother. The court was told that Smart then attempted to hug the boy and proceeded to suck on his ear, an act classified as common assault.
The court also heard that after the mother removed her son from Smart’s grasp, he continued his assault by placing his hand on her thigh and then between her legs, making grabbing motions. When she tried to fend him off, Smart further inappropriately touched her buttocks with his other hand. The woman’s older child, witnessing the distress, ran off to seek help, leaving her to confront the situation alone.
In a statement read to the court, the mother expressed her profound fear and violation. She stated, “This experience frightened not only me, but my children too. The assault left me feeling violated. It’s shocked me as this sort of act shouldn’t happen to anyone, especially to a mother with children at a bus stop.”
Smart, who has a criminal history with four previous convictions, was warned by magistrates that he could face imprisonment. The court adjourned sentencing to allow for the preparation of a pre-sentence report. He was released on conditional bail and is scheduled to return to court on December 22 to face the charges and sentencing proceedings.
According to court proceedings, Smart initially attempted to engage the toddler in conversation, which was met with innocent curiosity from the young boy. However, the situation quickly escalated when Smart, without warning, tried to physically embrace the child. As the mother tried to shield her son and move him away from the man, Smart committed a shocking act of sexual misconduct by sucking on the child's ear. This bizarre and invasive act was witnessed by the mother, who was understandably horrified and distressed.
But Smart's disturbing behavior did not end there. Turning his attention to the mother, he proceeded to grab her inappropriately, touching her between the legs and on her buttocks. The court heard that the woman, overwhelmed with fear and shock, desperately tried to push Smart away. During this ordeal, her older child, also present at the scene, was so frightened that he ran off to seek help, leaving his mother to deal with the assault alone.
As the situation unfolded, a member of the public intervened, witnessing the chaos and attempting to de-escalate the incident. Smart, who was clearly intoxicated, staggered away from the scene and left the bus station. The police were subsequently involved, and Smart was later charged with one count of sexual assault and one count of common assault.
At South East Northumberland Magistrates’ Court, prosecutor Anna Barker detailed the sequence of events. She explained that Smart approached the mother and her children on the afternoon of November 17. His initial actions involved trying to talk to the young boy, but things took a disturbing turn when he followed the child as he ran to sit beside his mother. The court was told that Smart then attempted to hug the boy and proceeded to suck on his ear, an act classified as common assault.
The court also heard that after the mother removed her son from Smart’s grasp, he continued his assault by placing his hand on her thigh and then between her legs, making grabbing motions. When she tried to fend him off, Smart further inappropriately touched her buttocks with his other hand. The woman’s older child, witnessing the distress, ran off to seek help, leaving her to confront the situation alone.
In a statement read to the court, the mother expressed her profound fear and violation. She stated, “This experience frightened not only me, but my children too. The assault left me feeling violated. It’s shocked me as this sort of act shouldn’t happen to anyone, especially to a mother with children at a bus stop.”
Smart, who has a criminal history with four previous convictions, was warned by magistrates that he could face imprisonment. The court adjourned sentencing to allow for the preparation of a pre-sentence report. He was released on conditional bail and is scheduled to return to court on December 22 to face the charges and sentencing proceedings.