HIGH WYCOMBE PAEDOPHILE DAVID SMITH CAUGHT FILMING SCHOOLGIRLS IN OXFORD

In September 2021, a disturbing case emerged involving David Smith, a man from High Wycombe with a long history of sexual offences, who was caught engaging in highly inappropriate and illegal activities targeting young girls. Smith was found to have recorded upskirt videos of schoolgirls in various public places, including bookshops, shopping centres, and a shoe store, raising serious concerns about his predatory behavior.

Smith, aged 48, was identified as the individual responsible for capturing these illicit videos using a mobile device. The videos, which he had saved on his laptop under the username ‘Pothead’—a reference to his cannabis-themed online alias—contained a total of 242 recordings. Of these, 39 videos depicted children, some of whom were known to him personally, while others were taken beneath the skirts of girls aged between approximately eight and fourteen years old. The footage was obtained from different locations, including bookshops, shopping centres, and shoe stores, highlighting the extent of his disturbing activities.

The police investigation revealed that the videos had been downloaded from Smith’s mobile phone, also named ‘Pothead’s iPhone,’ onto his laptop. The collection of videos was part of a larger cache that demonstrated a pattern of voyeuristic behavior. When officers arrested Smith in July 2016, they found him in possession of keys to a room at the Peartree services Travelodge in Oxford. Interestingly, the arrest was initially made on suspicion of aggravated burglary, but charges related to his sexual misconduct were not pursued at that time.

During the arrest, police also discovered Smith’s belongings in the hotel room, including his laptop, clothes, wallet, and probation paperwork bearing his name. Despite being questioned twice by detectives, Smith chose to exercise his right to remain silent throughout the interviews. His criminal record was extensive, including a conviction from Canada in 2001 for indecent assault on a 12-year-old girl.

In a court hearing at Oxford Crown Court, Judge Michael Gledhill QC addressed Smith’s actions with strong condemnation. He described the case as ‘lamentable’ due to the delays in bringing it to trial and emphasized the gravity of Smith’s offenses. The judge sentenced him to 14 months in prison, suspended for two years, and mandated that he complete up to 30 days of rehabilitation activities. Additionally, Smith was ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years and to adhere to a sexual harm prevention order for five years.

Furthermore, Smith, who resides on Crest Road in High Wycombe, pleaded guilty to charges of making and possessing indecent images of children. The court’s decision was influenced by the indication from the judge that immediate imprisonment was not necessary, given the circumstances. This case underscores the ongoing concerns about online and offline exploitation and the importance of vigilant law enforcement in protecting vulnerable children from predators like David Smith.