Locations
Church Street, Seaham, SR7
Description
A man with now two convictions for rape has been given an extended sentence after being branded, a high risk" of causing sexual harm to women.
Callum Smith, now 45, served a seven-year sentence for the rape of an 18-year-old woman committed on New Years Day, 2013.
He appeared at Durham Crown Court last month to stand trial accused of the rape of another teenage woman, said to have been committed on May 1, last year, in the victims own home.
Smith entered uninvited on another pretext, establishing she was home alone, but then committed the offence on a sofa, before leaving.
The court heard for several weeks after the attack he manipulated the woman to try to prevent her reporting the incident to police.
But she did eventually make the complaint resulting in her having to give evidence, under cross-examination, for last months trial.
A week after the start of the hearing the defendant, of Church Street, Seaham, was found guilty on a ten to two jury majority.
He appeared via video link from nearby Durham Prison for todays (Friday July 29) sentencing hearing.
Tony Dunne, prosecuting, read from the victims impact statement, in which she said she has given up her job since the attack and has struggled to find the will to leave her home on a daily basis, and she feels she is in a, living hell.
She suffers flashbacks making her feel uneasy and is on medication for anxiety and depression, while she is on a waiting list to receive counselling and wants to move from her home.
David Lamb, for Smith, argued that the defendant should not be classed as a dangerous offender as he has only one previous relevant conviction and time has elapsed since the last rape conviction.
But Judge James Adkin said for much of the time between the offences Smith was serving his previous prison sentence.
He said the defendant clearly targeted his victim, going there with rape in mind.
Judge Adkin said he does consider Smith poses a high risk of sexual harm to females and told him: You do seem to have deep-seated misogynistic attitudes to young women.
He imposed an extended determinate sentence with a 13-year custodial element, to be followed by a five-year licence period.
It means Smith must serve two-thirds of the 13 years before being eligible for consideration for release at the behest of the Parole Board.
But he told Smith: Unless theres a dramatic reduction in your risk profile you may end up serving the full 13 years.
Smith was made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and must register as a sex offender, both for life.
A restraining order forbids him from trying to contact or approach his victim, also for life.