JONATHON SMITH FROM WILLENHALL SENTENCED FOR UNDERAGE SEX CRIMES IN WOLVERHAMPTON

In May 2019, a man from Willenhall named Jonathon Smith was sentenced to six years in prison after being convicted of grooming and engaging in sexual activity with a minor girl. The case drew significant attention due to the circumstances surrounding the offenses and Smith's criminal history.

According to court proceedings, Smith initiated contact with the underage girl through social media messages shortly after his release from prison. The court heard that he first asked her for sex the day after he was freed, demonstrating a disturbing pattern of behavior. Despite the girl’s initial refusal, Smith continued to pursue her, applying persistent pressure that ultimately led her to succumb to his advances on January 18.

Between that date and January 22, Smith engaged in sexual acts with the girl at an address located somewhere within the Black Country area. The situation took a turn when the girl’s mother discovered a message from Smith on her daughter’s phone, which read, “I’ll finish that later.” Concerned, the mother questioned her daughter about the message, and the girl disclosed what had transpired.

Following this revelation, the police were promptly contacted, leading to Smith’s arrest. The authorities confirmed that there had been grooming and premeditation involved in the case, emphasizing the significant age difference between Smith and the victim. The court was informed that Smith was 26 years old at the time of the offenses.

It was also revealed that Smith had an extensive criminal record, with 21 previous convictions covering 34 separate offenses. However, none of these prior convictions involved sexual offenses. His criminal history included a five-year sentence for causing grievous bodily harm with intent, as well as a three-year sentence for property destruction.

During the trial, Smith admitted to three charges of sexual activity with a child. The judge, Mr. Simon Ward, sentenced him to six years in prison, highlighting the seriousness of the offenses despite this being his first conviction for a sexual crime. The judge stated, “This is the first time you have been convicted of any kind of sex offence but they were extremely serious offences. She told you that she did not want to do this but you were persistent. She felt under pressure and finally gave in.”

In addition to his prison sentence, Smith was ordered to register as a sex offender and was placed under an indefinite sexual harm prevention order, ensuring ongoing restrictions and monitoring to protect the community from further harm.