Trans nonce back in prison
Alex Smith has been jailed for three years after his latest court order breach, having previously avoided immediate imprisonment when a judge cited his gender reassignment.
A trans-identified sex offender has been jailed for three years after once again breaching restrictions imposed on him by the courts.
Alex Smith, born Matthew Burren, was sentenced at Swindon Crown Court on August 7 after being caught using a private web browser in breach of a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).
The 33-year-old, who identifies as a transwoman, was arrested on July 7 and remanded in custody.
Wiltshire Police said Smith was originally convicted in 2006 of raping a child under 13. Earlier court reporting states Smith was 12 at the time and his victim was five.
Police said he has since received several further convictions for possessing indecent images of children and breaching SHPOs and sex offender notification requirements.
PC Katie Owers, of Wiltshire Police, said: “Smith has continued to breach the orders imposed by the courts over a prolonged period of time so I am pleased that the courts have on this occasion given a custodial sentence, reflecting the serious nature of the offending.”
It is not the first time Smith has been caught flouting restrictions on his internet use.
In March 2021, police made an unannounced visit to his then home and asked whether he had any internet-capable devices they did not know about.
Smith said he did not, but officers checked his router and discovered an unknown Samsung phone connected to it. The device was subsequently found beneath a red coat.
Smith admitted breaching his SHPO. The court was told he had already breached the order four times previously.
Despite District Judge Joanna Dickens describing the offence as “really serious” and Smith as a danger to children, at a sentencing hearing in 2021 she decided against immediate imprisonment.
Explaining her decision, she said: “I’m not going to send you to prison today … because you have very very complicated issues. You’re currently undergoing gender reassignment.”
Smith received a 26-week prison sentence suspended for two years.
He was back before the courts in 2024 after a neighbour discovered he was receiving post under the alias “Rezzed Nova”.
On November 12 that year, Smith pleaded guilty to failing to comply with sex offender notification requirements and admitted three further SHPO breaches for failing to tell police about three internet-accessible devices.
Smith was jailed for two years and three months, but was out of prison by July 7 this year, when he was arrested for the latest breach.
Smith is now subject to lifelong notification requirements and a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order.