Man sentenced to 24 years behind bars for ‘heinous’ sexual abuse

A man who subjected three teenage girls to years of sexual abuse, including rape, and left them feeling “worthless and terrified” has been sentenced to 24 years in prison at Guildford Crown Court today (19 August).

Anthony Paul Smith, 56, of Oatlands Drive, Weybridge, was found guilty of 13 charges of rape and indecent sexual assault against three separate complainants following a three-week trial which concluded on 30 June.

At the time of the offences, which took place at an address in West Molesey between 1993 and 1997, Smith was a serving police officer with the Metropolitan Police. The offences were committed against the three girls when they were between 13 and 17 years old.

Smith left the Metropolitan Police in 2004 after he was convicted of gross indecency with a child under 16 in an unrelated matter.

Smith also worked as a swimming teacher in Llandudno, Wales, prior to joining the police in 1987.

An investigation was launched in 2020 after one of the women came forward and reported that she had been abused by Smith as a teenager. The other two complainants came forward as a result shortly afterwards.

During the trial, all three victims described how Smith had raped and sexually abused them on numerous occasions over several years.

The court heard from one of the victims who described how Smith had “manipulated” and “controlled” her and made her feel “worthless and terrified”.

Outlining the impact the abuse had on her life, she said: “To the outside world you were a pillar of the community, a shining example of a police officer – yet here you were, abusing your position of trust, making me feel powerless, guilty and ashamed of what I was being made to do.”

She continued: “Feelings of guilt, shame and anxiety are my ‘normal’ and I struggle every day to fight this.

“I have carried the shame of being an abuse victim around with me throughout my life and this has negatively impacted my intimate relationships. Even though I know that the abuse was not my fault, the shame never fully leaves a childhood sexual abuse survivor.”

Detective Sergeant Matt Cable, from Surrey Police’s Sexual Offences Investigation Team, said: “We launched an investigation after one of the victims came forward and reported the abuse she had suffered at the hands of Smith. This led to a further two victims coming forward and resulted in an in-depth and complex inquiry with a significant number of allegations of serious sexual abuse, including rape, which had spanned many years.

“As a police officer at the time of his offending, Smith was in a position of power which meant that his victims did not feel they were able to speak out about what he had done to them until many years later. The sentence he has received today reflects the extent of his predatory behaviour in the way he targeted young girls and used them for his own gratification. To see him behind bars will hopefully enable these three women to move on with their lives in the knowledge that he has finally been brought to justice for his heinous and indefensible crimes. 

“I would like to reassure anyone who has suffered any form of sexual abuse that you will always be listened to and all allegations will be thoroughly investigated.”

If you need further help and advice please visit our web site https://www.surrey.police.uk/ro/report/rsa/alpha-v1/advice/rape-sexual-assault-and-other-sexual-offences/