A paedophile has been sentenced to nine years in prison following shocking child sex abuse, bringing relief to the victim’s family. The family expressed their feelings, stating: “We are relieved knowing that you will no longer be in a position to harm children again.”
Kieran Smith, aged 22, from Highfield Avenue, Grimsby, was convicted at Leeds Crown Court of multiple serious offences against a girl under the age of 13. His crimes included rape, assault by penetration, and forcing a child into sexual activity. These offences took place between 2022 and 2024 while Smith was living in Castleford.
On 15 January, Bradford Crown Court sentenced Smith to nine years in prison, with an additional one-year extended licence period. He was also ordered to comply with a strict Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which prohibits any unsupervised contact with individuals under 18 years old after his release.
The victim’s family spoke out about the impact of Smith’s actions: “We are so proud of our brave young girl for speaking out to protect others. His actions have devastated her life and shattered her childhood memories.”
They added, “While we are relieved he cannot harm children any longer, we remain fearful about his eventual release and hope strong safeguards stay in place. We urge everyone never to blindly trust people, no matter how well you think you know them. We believed ‘it will never happen to us’ – but it did.”
“Prison sentence is some justice but it will never be enough. At least making the truth public gives us a bit of comfort. To anyone suffering in silence, be brave and speak out. Help and support are available.”
Detective Constable Sally Hayward from the Wakefield Child Safeguarding Unit praised the bravery of the victim and the family, saying: “Though this was reported just seven months ago, we gathered strong evidence to secure a win. The victim and her family showed incredible courage and were well supported by officers.”
She continued, “I hope this conviction brings some closure as they start to heal. Anyone affected by sexual abuse or with concerns should come forward — you will be listened to, supported, and helped. We are determined to get justice for every victim.”
Originally published by UKNIP.
