MARCU S MY, WOODBRIDGE MAN, CAUGHT WITH ILLEGAL CHILD IMAGES AFTER GROOMING INCIDENTS

In a disturbing sequence of events that have shocked the local community of Woodbridge, Marcus Smy has been found guilty of possessing indecent images of children, just weeks after he was initially sentenced for grooming a schoolgirl. The case highlights a troubling pattern of behavior that has led to serious legal consequences for Smy, who now faces a suspended prison sentence amid ongoing investigations.

On March 6 of the previous year, officers from law enforcement paid a visit to Smy’s residence in Woodbridge as part of ongoing efforts to monitor his compliance with a court-mandated sexual harm prevention order. This order was originally issued on January 31 by Ipswich Crown Court following his earlier conviction related to grooming a minor. The officers’ visit was part of routine checks to ensure Smy was adhering to the restrictions imposed upon him.

During the search of Smy’s home, the officers examined his mobile phone, which was found to contain two videos that could not be opened. The titles of these videos raised suspicions among the officers, leading them to believe that they might contain illegal images of children. As a result, the phone was confiscated along with a laptop and a tower unit, all of which were subjected to detailed analysis.

Further investigation revealed that the mobile phone stored an indecent movie classified under the lowest level C category of child exploitation material. The laptop contained a still image, also categorized as indecent, of a child. Notably, the downloaded folder on Smy’s phone, which contained files downloaded on March 5 and 6, was missing from the internet browsing history, indicating potential tampering.

Michael Crimp, the prosecutor, explained that “it was clear to the analysts that the internet history for these files had been deleted in breach of one of the terms of his sexual harm prevention order.” The examination of the tower unit uncovered the presence of software designed to erase internet activity logs. This software had been run 31 times, further suggesting an attempt to conceal illicit activity.

Following these findings, Smy was arrested and questioned. He chose to remain silent and did not respond to the questions posed to him. Smy, aged 24 and residing on Orchard Close in Woodbridge, subsequently admitted to two charges of making indecent images of children and two charges of breaching his sexual harm prevention order by using a cleaning program and deleting internet history over two days.

In court, Smy was sentenced to six months in prison, but the sentence was suspended for 24 months. Additionally, he was ordered to participate in a 30-day rehabilitation activity program and to engage in the Horizon program, which is designed for individuals convicted of sexual offenses. His legal representative, Folishade Abiodun, stated that Smy had been undergoing therapy as part of his rehabilitation process.

This case follows Smy’s previous conviction from January of the same year, when he received a community order and a rehabilitation requirement after admitting to inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity and causing her to do so. During that hearing, it was revealed that Smy had groomed the victim and exchanged intimate pictures with her, further underscoring the severity of his offending behavior.