Disgraced former Tory councillor David Smith jailed for child sex abuse

David Smith carried out a catalogue of sexual abuse on one of his victims whilst also exposed himself to another young boy in an attempt to get him to perform a sex act on him.

The 33-year-old spent £10,000 buying the silence of the first complainant as he showered him in gifts and took him on lavish shopping trips to Liverpool and Edinburgh.

The disgraced councillor also gave one of his victims cannabis before abusing him after the youngster passed out from smoking the drug.

Jurors decided that Smith had raped one of the victims on a number of occasions during his campaign of sexual abuse.

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Teesside Crown Court heard how the former Middlesbrough councillor carried out the abuse on his victims over a four-year period.

Ex-Conservative Middlesbrough councillor David Smith has been jailed for 12 years

Judge Timothy Stead jailed the child sex abuser for a total of 12 years and hearing how his vile behaviour had impacted on the lives of his victims, particularly the child who suffered the worst abuse.

He said: “It did serious damage to his childhood, his emotions and his behaviour, and he is not over it yet.”

During the trial, the court heard how the allegations only came to light in 2016 when the first victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, broke down and told his mother and girlfriend.

The man said Smith would regularly buy him computer games and taking him on shopping sprees in an attempt to buy his silence.

Judge Smith added: “The defendant engaged in escalating sexual practices (with his two male victims) and indeed at one point he turned a young girl to perform sexual acts with him.

“It is clear that the defendant was working his way through the victims one after the other.”

Due to a number of delays, including the trial being moved due to the Covid pandemic, Smith finally had to face his accusers in court.

The second victim, who also cannot be named for legal reasons, was a teenager when Smith would expose himself and then ask him to touch his genitals.

Smith, of Rainsford Crescent, Middlesbrough, was found guilty of 11 counts of inciting or engaging in sexual activity with a child following a trial last month.

Jon Harley, in mitigation, said his client continues to maintain his innocence and was a man of previous good character.

Smith was also made subject to an indefinite restraining order to protect his two victims and a third person, who cannot be name for legal reasons, and issued with an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.