Locations
High Street, Dereham, Norfolk, NR19
Description
A 64-year-old man has been sentenced to 21 years in prison after sexually abusing two young boys.
Michael Smith, of The High Street, Dereham was sentenced at Norwich Crown Court yesterday(Monday 27 September 2021), after being convicted of 17 child sex offences at an earlier hearing.
The offences took place between 2014 and 2016, when the young boys, both aged in their early teens, were at a school for complex needs in Norfolk. Some of the offences continued into 2018 against one of the boys after he had left the school.
Smith was handed a 28-year sentence, made up of 21 years in prison and a further seven years on licence.
He was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) indefinitely and must also sign on the sex offenders register indefinitely.
Investigating officer, Detective Constable Natalie Riseborough from the Safeguarding and Investigations Team, said: "I welcome yesterday’s sentence as it reflects the seriousness of Smith’s crimes.
"We see this pattern all too often, when abusers befriend the victims and their families in order to facilitate the abuse and avoid suspicion. The strength these boys have shown in acknowledging Smith’s actions as wrong, and speaking out about it, is immeasurable.
"Smith had been a figure of authority in their lives and was in a position of trust. He used this to commit terrible crimes that are likely to live with these victims forever.
"Whilst nothing will take their pain away, we hope that yesterday’s sentence provides some comfort to the victims and their families. Their courage has not only broken the cycle of abuse these boys faced but it has also prevented others becoming victims.
"We remain committed to bringing all sex offenders to justice in order to prevent future offending and will listen to anyone who has been the victim of sexual abuse, whether this is ongoing or non-recent.”