MOSES SMITH FROM BAR HILL SENTENCED FOR ABDUCTION AND SEXUAL OFFENSES IN CAMBRIDGESHIRE

In a case that has shocked the local community of Bar Hill and the wider Cambridgeshire area, Moses Smith, a 45-year-old man, was sentenced to prison for his involvement in the abduction and sexual misconduct involving a minor. The incident, which took place earlier this year, culminated in Smith being convicted and sentenced on charges that have raised serious concerns about public safety and the protection of minors.

According to court records, Smith was found guilty of having engaged in sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl between February and April of this year. The girl, who is now pregnant with Smith’s child, was abducted by him, an act that has been described as both disturbing and criminal. The court heard that Smith, who resides in Bar Hill, had taken the girl without her parents' knowledge, leading to a police investigation that spanned several weeks.

Four weeks after her disappearance, authorities located the girl in Ely, Cambridgeshire. Her parents testified during the trial that they had been unaware of her relationship with Smith and felt that their daughter had been 'stolen' from them by the man. Smith, during the proceedings, claimed that the girl had told him she was 18 and that their relationship was consensual. However, the court found this assertion unconvincing and emphasized the serious nature of the offense.

Further evidence presented in court revealed that Smith had dictated a threatening letter, which was left in the girl’s bedroom on the day she disappeared, April 29. The letter contained warnings of 'serious action' if her parents contacted the police, indicating an attempt to intimidate and control the situation. This act of coercion added to the severity of his charges.

Representing Smith, lawyer Claire Matthews argued that her client had no prior history of sexual offenses. She emphasized that the girl was 16 at the time of the incident and described the relationship as consensual, asserting that Smith’s actions were specific to this individual and not part of a pattern of predatory behavior. Matthews acknowledged that Smith now recognizes his actions as criminal, stating, “Of course now with hindsight, he knows what he did was a criminal offence.”

However, the court was not convinced by these arguments. Judge Jonathan Haworth, citing the new legislation and the evidence of Smith’s past behavior—including a 1998 robbery where he used an imitation gun to steal £7,000 from a village post office—deemed him a significant danger to the public. The judge highlighted that Smith’s criminal record and recent offenses warranted a strong public protection response.

As a result, Smith was sentenced to three years in prison for the abduction charge, with this sentence to run concurrently with a three-year term for the sexual offense. Additionally, he was ordered to register as a sex offender upon release. The judge also noted that Smith would be eligible for parole after serving one year and 88 days, but warned that if he failed to convince the parole board that he no longer posed a threat, he could be detained indefinitely. The court’s decision underscores the seriousness with which the justice system is treating offenses involving minors and abduction in Cambridgeshire.