Posted: 17:08, 13 April 2022 | Updated: 17:09, 13 April 2022
A former Tory counselor has been convicted of a number of historic child sexual abuse offenses. A jury unanimously found David Smith guilty of 11 incitements or engaging in sexual activity with a child a decade ago. The Teesside Crown Court heard horrific reports of sexual abuse during the trial – the two victims were teenagers when Smith targeted them. The allegations only came to light in 2016 when the first victim, who could not be named for legal reasons, broke down and told his mother and girlfriend. David Smith, 33, was convicted unanimously of 11 counts of inciting or engaging in sexual activity with a child a decade ago. The boy said in a police interview how the impact of the alleged abuse had a lasting impact on his life. He told the officers: “It was becoming more and more gradual as it basically bothered me. “But I gradually thought ‘this is wrong’, I knew then that he should not do this, but I did not say anything because I was ashamed.” He was groomed and repeatedly sexually assaulted by Smith for a period of four years. The court heard that he has been hit hard by the abuse. The ex-girlfriend told him that he “ruined their relationship” and that he was “injured” by what had happened to him. The court heard how Smith gave the boy cash and bought him gifts. as well as take him on trips to Edinburgh and Liverpool. The victim said: “He was buying me all sorts of things – he should have easily spent 000 6,000 to £ 10,000. “They were clothes, they were drugs, I smoked a lot of cannabis and he bought it for me. He bought it for me every day, at least λί 20 a day. “After I smoked it, I would go to bed and when I woke up, it would touch me.” Teesside Crown Court Hears Terrifying Evidence of Sexual Abuse During Trial Due to a number of delays, including the relocation of the trial due to the Covid pandemic, Smith eventually had to face his accusers in court. He repeatedly exposed himself to the second victim – who was also a teenage boy at the time – before trying to persuade him to have sex. The victim said he fled, telling the court: “He flashed me and as a child I was shocked and did not know where to put myself. “After a month and a half, since he shone on me, he asked me to touch him. He got to the point where he was getting closer to me and he insisted more as I found out that he was escaping “. The 33-year-old, who resigned as Middlesbrough councilor after being charged with the offenses, denied the charges throughout his trial. Smith, from Rainsford Crescent in Middlesbrough, was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on May 16.
