A former school governor, who was jailed for child sex offences, wrote "nonce" on his chest and took a picture of himself.
Christopher Smith, 41, who was a school governor and worked for the Home Office, had his secret life revealed after a pervert was arrested by Devon and Cornwall Police. Examination of the man's phone showed he had been in communication with Smith and received sexual images.
When Smith, who was then living in New Brighton, Wirral, was arrested and interviewed on November 18 by Merseyside Police the same images were found on his phone and a “plethora” of messages between the two men, said Martine Snowdon, prosecuting. She told Liverpool Crown Court on Friday, February 17, that among images he sent was one of him with "nonce" written on his naked chest.
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He said he loved to fulfil his “master’s requests.” Jailing the 41-year-old the judge, Recorder David Knifton, KC, said Smith developed a "particular interest in sexual fantasies" with him adopting "the role of slave with the other person the master."
Recorder Knifton added he was so consumed by his sexual interest he had been willing to pay significant sums to another man and sent naked photographs of himself to him. He said that inevitably his partner discovered his activities, which were not at that stage illegal, and was warned about the risk.
He failed to heed the warning and resumed his activities with another man and between October 2020 and November 2021 he engaged in similar online chats. The judge said: “This time however your activities involved vile and sickening behaviour.”
Smith sent videos and images of serious child abuse to the other man.
Recorder Knifton said: “Your abhorrent and depraved activity only came to light sometime later as a result of images being seized from a device belonging to the other man.”
The judge ruled that Smith is a dangerous offender and said he clearly derived sexual gratification from being involved in his “perverted sexual fantasies.” He jailed him for six years with an extended four-year licence which means Smith, who has no similar convictions, will have to serve four years before he can apply for parole.
Smith, of Brookfield Drive, Fazakerley, pleaded guilty to 15 offences involving three of sexual activity with a child, taking, making, distributing and possessing indecent images. He was ordered to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life.
Carmel Wilde, defending, said Smith was disgusted with his own behaviour and has “bucketfuls of remorse." He had sought out relationships where he was submissive to someone dominant and it developed into a slave relationship, “bizarrely paying for financial domination."
She said: “He said it was self-sabotage, it was like a drug, saying, 'I knew I should not be doing it but I could not stop'. It was all about the risk, the dangerous side which excited him, clearly it was spiralling out of control.”
Miss Wilde said that Smith, who worked in IT for the Home Office and had been a school governor. However she told the court stresses and pressures of his job led him “seeking to escape into this world of fantasy.”
She added that in this fantasy world he wanted to “impress his master.”
Detective Superintendent Steve Reardon, Head of OCAIT, said: “Anybody who is viewing, possessing, producing or distributing indecent images is sustaining the distressing and damaging worldwide exploitation and violation of children. Merseyside Police is committed to child safety and our specialist OCAIT detectives will thoroughly investigate all such reports.
"I would like to take this opportunity to reassure anyone who has suffered a sexual offence that if you can find the courage to come forward and speak to us, we will treat you with sensitivity and compassion. Merseyside Police has specialist officers in the Online Child Abuse Investigation Team (OCAIT) who work tirelessly with other agencies to identify offenders, no matter where in the world they live or what devices they use.
“We also work with other UK forces, agencies and the Child Exploitation Online Protection centre as well as law enforcement agencies across the world who share our determination to protect children from depraved and dangerous offenders online.”
Anyone with information or wants to report sexual offence allegation is asked to call 101 where they will be spoken to by specially trained officers or can pass information to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Support for victims is also available through the registered charity the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre Cheshire and Merseyside, who can be contacted on 01925 221 546 or 0330 363 0063 or Rape and Sexual Assault Merseyside (RASA) on 0151 558 1801
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