Anthony Paul Smith

A former Metropolitan Police officer, Anthony Paul Smith, has been jailed for 24 years following his conviction on 13 counts of sexual assault and rape against three teenage girls. The offences occurred between 1993 and 1997, during which time Smith was employed by the Met Police. Now aged 56 and residing in Weybridge, Surrey, Smith abused his position of authority to target and exploit the victims, who were between 13 and 17 years old at the time.

The case came to light in 2020 when one of the victims reported the historical abuse to the police. The other two complainants soon followed, detailing separate incidents of rape and sexual abuse spanning several years. During the trial at Guildford Crown Court in June, the victims provided harrowing testimonies about how Smith manipulated and controlled them, leaving lasting psychological scars. One victim described to the court: "To the outside world you were a pillar of the community, a shining example of a police officer – yet here you were, abusing your position of trust, making me feel powerless, guilty and ashamed of what I was being made to do." She further explained the enduring impact: "Feelings of guilt, shame and anxiety are my ‘normal’ and I struggle every day to fight this. I have carried the shame of being an abuse victim around with me throughout my life and this has negatively impacted my intimate relationships."

Smith, who joined the Metropolitan Police in 1987 after working as a swimming teacher in Llandudno, Wales, left the force in 2004 following a conviction for an unrelated offence of gross indecency with a child under 16. Detective Sergeant Matt Cable from Surrey Police’s sexual offences investigation team commented on the case: "As a police officer at the time of his offending, Smith was in a position of power which meant that his victims did not feel they were able to speak out about what he had done to them until many years later. The sentence he has received today reflects the extent of his predatory behaviour in the way he targeted young girls and used them for his own gratification." Smith was sentenced on Friday at Guildford Crown Court, bringing a measure of justice to the victims after decades of silence.

This sentencing occurs amid broader scrutiny of the Metropolitan Police, highlighted by cases such as the 2021 kidnapping, rape, and murder of Sarah Everard by serving officer Wayne Couzens, which exposed systemic failures in addressing violence against women and girls within police ranks. The Independent reported on the case, emphasising Smith's exploitation of his role and the delayed reporting due to his authority.