Colin Smith has been jailed for 12 years (Picture: Greater Manchester Police/MEN Media)
A ‘calculated’ paedophile was arrested by police while in a hotel room with two missing girls.
Colin Smith, 59, was ambushed by officers in Bury, Greater Manchester after the teenagers ‘made contact with someone they could trust’.
He was charged with 11 offences of meeting a child following sexual grooming, making and distributing indecent images of children and sexual activity with a child.
After admitting to all the charges, he was jailed at Minshull Street Crown Court for 12 years.
Police said he would give his victims alcohol and pose as a teenager on social media.
Following his arrest in August 2020, officers found extreme pornography, indecent images of children and evidence of more grooming victims.
Detective Chief Inspector Ian Partington said: ‘Firstly, I would like to publicly recognise the courage of the two young girls who were staying in the hotel room – they made contact with someone they could trust, which enabled us to safeguard them and, ultimately, secure this prosecution.
‘Smith’s behaviour towards the victims was nothing short of sickening – in some cases, he plied them with alcohol in order to commit abhorrent and depraved offences.
He admitted to the charges (Picture: MEN Media)
‘His prosecution and imprisonment should reassure our communities about our commitment to fighting this type of crime and keeping vulnerable people safe.’
Constable Carly Baines of GMP’s Sexual Crime Unit said: ‘Today’s sentencing is the result of a long, meticulous investigation by our complex safeguarding hub.
‘Smith’s behaviour is deplorable and completely unacceptable, and I hope this result sends a stark warning to offenders that these behaviours will not be tolerated by GMP.
‘I would like to thank the victims for their resilience and bravery in reporting this incident to the police and giving us the opportunity to put a dangerous and depraved man in prison, and I hope this sentencing will now allow the victims to be able to move forward with their lives.’
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Colin Smith has been jailed for 12 years.
