Damien Christopher Smith

A Carlisle man, Damien Christopher Smith, aged 34, from Shadygrove Road, Raffles, has been subjected to a five-year sexual harm prevention order following his conviction for sexual assault. The order, approved by District Judge John Temperley at a hearing prompted by an application from Cumbria Constabulary, bans Smith from physically approaching or initiating conversation with any lone female in a public place, unless it is inadvertent or related to obtaining goods or services.

The conviction stemmed from an incident in June of the previous year, where Smith sexually assaulted a woman by inappropriately touching her over her clothing while making sexual comments. During a subsequent police interview, Smith attempted to shift blame onto the victim, citing her choice of clothing and red lipstick, reportedly asking officers, 'What does she expect?' Prosecutor Gemma Rogerson highlighted Smith's lack of understanding of the severity of his offending when presenting the case for the prevention order.

Additionally, police were aware of a further incident on 8 June, in which Smith allegedly entered a person's garden and stole female underwear from a washing line. The judge noted a relevant sexual assault conviction, along with alleged incidents demonstrating similar behaviour from 2021 and early 2023, which did not result in convictions but supported the necessity of the order. Breaching the order constitutes a criminal offence punishable by up to five years in prison.

For the original sexual assault offence, Smith was sentenced to a one-year community order, which included 100 hours of unpaid work and an order to pay £200 in compensation to the victim. He will remain on the Sex Offender Register for the duration of the five-year order. The application was heard in court, with Cumbria Constabulary expressing concerns over Smith's pattern of behaviour towards women.