CHRISTOPHER SMITH FROM KINGSTONE SENTENCED FOR CHILD INDECENT IMAGES AND SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION

In January 2018, a man from Kingstone named Christopher Daniel Smith, aged 27, faced serious legal consequences after admitting to possessing indecent images of minors and engaging in activities related to paedophile hunting. Smith, residing at Coldstone Cross in Kingstone, appeared before Hereford Magistrates Court where he pleaded guilty to charges involving the creation and possession of four Category C indecent images of children approximately 14 years old.

According to the prosecution, Kriss Ewing, the officer representing the Crown, detailed the events leading to Smith's arrest. On July 27, police officers, acting on intelligence received from an anonymous source, arrived at Smith’s residence following reports that he had uploaded an indecent image onto Facebook. During the police search, they confiscated Smith’s mobile phone, which contained four indecent images of children. Mrs. Ewing explained that these images were classified as Category C, indicating they were among the less severe types of child exploitation images, but nonetheless illegal to possess.

She further clarified that the mere act of opening or downloading such images constitutes possession and creation, as the images were stored in a gallery on Smith’s phone. During police questioning, Smith claimed that he was involved in 'paedophile hunting'—a practice where individuals attempt to catch offenders online—and that the images found on his device had been sent to him by others. However, police investigations revealed that his phone contained searches related to 14-year-olds and teenagers, raising suspicions about his activities.

When questioned about these searches, Smith suggested that the search for 14-year-olds was likely a typo, and he explained that his interest was actually in older teenagers aged 18 and 19. His defense, presented by Mitigating Counsel Marilena Di Vitantonio, argued that Smith had been attempting to set up a website similar to 'H Division,' a known online operation targeting paedophiles, and that he had approached individuals for advice on this project. She stated that Smith had also sent images to potential paedophiles, but acknowledged that he should have contacted the police immediately instead of retaining the images on his phone.

Following the guilty plea, the court imposed a five-year sexual harm prevention order on Smith, requiring him to adhere to specific restrictions aimed at protecting the public from potential harm. Additionally, he was ordered to sign the sex offenders register for a period of five years. As part of the sentence, Smith was also ordered to pay costs amounting to £185 and a victim surcharge of £85. The court’s decision underscores the seriousness with which authorities treat the possession and distribution of indecent images of minors, and the importance of monitoring individuals involved in such activities within the community of Kingstone.