Hartlepool man who tried to lure child for sex was really speaking to police

Thirty-year old Sam Smith, from Hartlepool, has now avoided a jail term and will instead receive treatment for his mental health.

A psychiatrist said Smith had rarely left his bedroom in 12 years and in his mind he was already in prison, Teesside Crown Court was told.

Smith also suffered from Asperger’s Syndrome and his only social contact was with his family, a doctor said in a report prepared for his sentencing.

Judge James Brown said that Smith, who had no previous convictions, was himself a vulnerable person.

The police had warned him before about attempting to talk to children but in April 2019 he had a number of communications over three or four days with the fictional 13-year-old child.

The judge told him: “During the course of the conversations you were effectively inciting this under-age person to engage in extremely serious sexual offences.”

Judge Brown said that after a trial Smith would probably have been sentenced to four years in jail, which would be reduced to 22 months for a guilty plea.

But the psychiatrist added in his report: ”He rarely leaves his home and I don’t think that he could cope with work in the community and he would also be extremely vulnerable in a prison setting.

”In his own words a custodial sentence would have no impact because he feels that he is already in jail.”

Smith has now been accepted for treatment by the Hartlepool effective disorder management team which, the judge said, could be an alternative to a short or medium prison sentence and in the public interest.

Stephen Constantine, defending, said that Smith would accept the order and he would welcome the opportunity for treatment.

Smith, of St Catherine’s Court, Hartlepool, was sentenced to a three-year community order with a requirement of mental health treatment.

He must also undertake 30 days of rehabilitation activities and was placed on a five-year sexual harm prevention order to control his contact with children and use of the internet.

In addition, Smith he must register as a sex offender for five years.

He pleaded guilty to two charges of attempting to cause a child to engage in sexual conduct.

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