CRAIG SMITH LANARKSHIRE SCHOOL SEX OFFENDER JAILED FOR PREDATORY BEHAVIOR

A drama teacher from Lanarkshire, who engaged in a series of sexual misconducts with three teenage girls while employed at a secondary school, has been sentenced to prison. Craig Smith, aged 43, exploited his trusted position within the educational environment to prey on vulnerable students during the years 2015 and 2016.

Smith’s actions came to light after disturbing allegations surfaced, leading to a thorough investigation. On Tuesday, he was handed a sentence of two years and three months behind bars, reflecting the gravity of his offenses. His misconduct involved a pattern of manipulative and predatory behavior, which he carried out through both digital communication and physical contact.

During his time at the school, Smith used social media platform Facebook to contact the girls, complimenting their appearances and sending inappropriate images of himself to two of them. His abuse of trust extended beyond online messaging; he became physically involved with two pupils within the school’s drama department. These encounters included kissing, touching, and performing sexual acts, each lasting several minutes. The incidents were serious breaches of professional conduct and personal boundaries.

The misconduct was further exposed when Smith sent a third girl, aged 14 at the time, a sexualized message. This message, which raised concerns about her well-being, prompted the school to launch an investigation. The girl, who was known to suffer from panic attacks, received a Facebook message from Smith that appeared to express concern for her health. Initially, their conversations involved normal topics, but they gradually escalated to more inappropriate content, including Smith sending a nude image of himself.

Physical misconduct was also documented. Smith kissed one girl and touched her inappropriately, eventually performing a sex act on her that lasted approximately five minutes. Similar acts were carried out with another girl in the drama department. The latter girl, after leaving school at 18, blocked Smith on social media and had no further contact with him. Her testimony was part of the evidence presented during the trial.

In addition, Smith sent another pupil compliments on Facebook, notably telling her she looked “hot,” and shared explicit pictures and videos of himself. He engaged in kissing, touching, and made her perform a sex act on him. Once she left school, her communication with Smith ceased, and she did not pursue further contact.

The third girl, who was 14 when Smith first messaged her in 2018, felt uncomfortable due to inappropriate questions and requests for pictures, which she refused to send. Her concerns were reported to the school’s head teacher, leading to Smith’s suspension and a police investigation. The case highlighted a pattern of predatory behavior that exploited the vulnerabilities of young students.

During the court proceedings, Smith’s defense team argued that he viewed his actions as part of a “former life” and expressed remorse, stating that he now recognizes the seriousness of his conduct. Despite this, the court ordered him to register as a sex offender, emphasizing the severity of his crimes and the need for ongoing monitoring to protect the community from further harm.