A previously convicted sex offender from Maidstone has been sentenced to an additional two years in prison after he was caught possessing and creating indecent images of children.
Peter Smith, 74, was already under a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for a prior conviction when he committed the new offences. In December 2021, Kent Police’s monitoring of his devices, a condition of his SHPO, detected that Smith was searching for and making sexually explicit comments about indecent images of children on a tablet.
Following the discovery, specialist officers arrested Smith and seized his mobile phone and two tablets. During the subsequent investigation, Smith denied responsibility, claiming the devices were second-hand and that someone else had committed the crimes. He did, however, plead guilty to breaching his SHPO by possessing internet-connected devices without notifying the police.
After a thorough investigation and trial, Smith was convicted on Monday, September 8, 2025, at Maidstone Crown Court.
Detective Sergeant Si Groves, said:
‘Smith is a prolific offender who displays a deep-rooted propensity to continue acting in the same way, with no regard for the law, nor the victims in his offending. He refused to take responsibility for his behaviour throughout the investigation and the trial and at one point was described as ‘being on the cusp of irritating’ by the presiding judge. Upon his release, Smith will continue to be subject to strict conditions.’