TERRY SMITH FROM BURPHAM AND HORNCHURCH SENTENCED TO 12 YEARS FOR BRUTAL RAPE IN LONDON ROAD

In a case that has shocked the local communities of Burpham and Hornchurch, Terry Smith, aged 37 and now residing on Bevan Way in Hornchurch, has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term of 12 years for a heinous sexual assault that took place over six years ago. The incident, which involved the rape of a 14-year-old schoolgirl, occurred in a woodland area along London Road, Burpham, on the afternoon of September 16, 2010.

During the court proceedings at Guildford Crown Court, it was revealed that the young victim was left with lifelong physical and emotional scars from the attack. The court heard that the girl, who was just 14 at the time, was walking home from school when she was ambushed by Smith. The defendant had been lurking in the vicinity in his van before he seized the opportunity to strike. According to the prosecutor, Ms. Abigail Husbands, Smith forcibly grabbed the girl from behind, holding a Stanley knife close to her face and threatening her with violence. He then commanded her not to turn around, warning, “Don’t turn around or I will slit you open.”

Smith proceeded to undress the girl from the waist down and subjected her to multiple forms of sexual assault, including digital penetration, oral rape, and vaginal rape. Throughout the ordeal, he kept her eyes shut and instructed her to count to 200 before fleeing the scene. The court was told that the terrified girl staggered home crying and disheveled, immediately reporting the assault to her family, who were horrified by her condition and the details she shared.

In her statement, the victim expressed the profound and lasting impact the attack had on her life. She explained that she was taunted by her peers, who called her a “slag” and accused her of asking for the assault. The trauma had affected her ability to trust others and had even impacted her physical health, with the court hearing that the assault had damaged her ovaries, potentially rendering her unable to have children. She described her fear of being alone at home and her difficulty sleeping without windows shut, illustrating the deep psychological scars left by the attack.

Despite the extensive publicity surrounding the case, Smith was not apprehended until six years later. The breakthrough came when his wife reported him for domestic violence, leading police to take a DNA sample from Smith. This sample matched the DNA evidence collected from the victim during the investigation, confirming his involvement. Initially, Smith denied the charges, claiming he had been in the Burpham area and that a schoolgirl had approached him for sex, which he claimed he had agreed to. However, he later confessed to the crimes, acknowledging his guilt.

The court noted the significant planning involved in the attack, including the use of a knife and threats of violence in a secluded spot, which were considered aggravating factors. Ms. Husbands emphasized that such a crime was among the most serious of its kind, highlighting the gravity of Smith’s actions. A pre-sentence report described Smith as posing a future risk to the public, underscoring the need for a substantial custodial sentence.

In her impact statement, the victim detailed the devastating effects of the assault. She recounted how her experience had altered her perception of sex and caused her to develop fears about being alone or sleeping without windows shut. She also described the social repercussions, including bullying at school, where her classmates quickly deduced her identity as the victim. She faced relentless taunting, being called a “slut” and an “attention-seeker,” and was subjected to physical assaults and verbal abuse in public places, including a nightclub.

Judge Jonathan Black, presiding over the case, described the impact on the victim as “huge” and emphasized that Smith’s actions had effectively ruined her life. The judge also ordered Smith to be banned from having unsupervised contact with anyone under 16, and he was subjected to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a lifetime restraining order against the victim.

In response to the case, Surrey Police launched Operation Zastava, a large-scale investigation aimed at identifying the perpetrator of what they described as a “disgusting and terrifying attack.” After six years of investigation, Smith was finally identified, arrested, and charged in August 2016 when DNA evidence linked him to the crime scene. He is now set to serve the second half of his sentence on licence, ensuring ongoing supervision and restrictions to prevent further harm.