A convicted sex offender who offered his DJ services at a “vastly discounted rate” for a children’s party has been jailed for two years.
David Smith, 43, breached his court order after playing music and taking song requests from children at a community hub in Loftus, North Yorkshire, without disclosing his criminal past to organisers.
The incident occurred just months after his release in 2023, violating the terms of his sexual harm prevention order.
Smith was previously jailed for five years in 2014 for grooming and sexually abusing an underage girl.
David Smith, breached his court order after playing music and taking song requests from children at a community hub in Loftus, North Yorkshire, without disclosing his criminal past to organisers
Cleveland Police
After his release, he breached his order by failing to inform police of his new address, a requirement of his sexual harm prevention order.
He was later found living in Blackpool with a new partner, where he had unsupervised access to her child while she was at work. Smith had not disclosed his conviction to the woman.
This resulted in a 29-month prison sentence, though there was no evidence of harm to the child.
During his arrest on April 12, Smith “violently resisted officers”, dragging one up the stairs of his home while handcuffed.
Despite being sprayed with incapacitant spray, he attempted to push an officer down the stairs, shouting: “Get down them stairs, you c**t.”
Smith then carried out his threat to “strangle him and defecate in the police van” by pulling down his trousers and defecating in the cage at the rear of the vehicle.
He was subsequently remanded to Durham prison following his arrest.
In his defence, Smith’s lawyer Chris Morrison told the court his client had “remained on a partitioned stage area” while DJing, with requests “shouted up to him by the attendees.”
Morrison added that children at the Pancake and Pizza party were chaperoned by their parents.
However, Judge Joanne Kidd expressed serious concerns about Smith’s “attempt to inveigle his way into his local community,” noting he had “used the hub which was frequented by children, without disclosing his situation.”
Sentencing Smith to two years in prison, Judge Kidd told him: “You offered your services as a DJ for events which were aimed at children. That community was entitled to know about your past. You couldn’t possibly believe this could be allowed.”
The judge added: “You have a previous conviction for grooming behaviour and it is of considerable concern that you gained contact with children.”
Smith, of High Street, Loftus, pleaded guilty to breaching a sexual harm prevention order, assaulting an emergency worker and criminal damage.
