Flynnley Paton, now 23, endured sexual abuse by her stepfather Justin Smith from the age of eight until she was 14. The abuse occurred while her mother slept or was away. After sex education classes in year six, Paton realized the abuse was wrong. In January 2017, she confided in a family friend, leading to Smith's arrest. However, police dropped the case citing insufficient evidence, having failed to forensically examine Smith's seized laptop and mobile phone. This failure caused Paton severe mental health issues, including PTSD and paranoia.
Case Reopened After Second Arrest
In February 2022, Paton learned Smith had been arrested for possessing indecent images of children. This prompted her to contact police again. She found email copies of social media exchanges from 2017 that referred to the abuse. The investigation was reopened, and devices that had gone unchecked in 2017 were examined. Smith pleaded guilty on July 27, 2023, to seven charges: three counts of sexual activity with a child, two counts of sexual assault of a child under 13, one count of sexual assault with a child, and one count of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. He was sentenced on June 27, 2025, at Leicester Crown Court to six years in prison, along with an indefinite restraining order, a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and placement on the sex offenders register.
Victim's Ongoing Struggle
Paton, who is unable to work due to her mental health, said: "He would do it when my mum was asleep, when she was out for appointments. At the start I thought it was normal. Then, when we did sex education in year six, I started to realise it wasn't normal. It made me feel disgusting. It made me hate myself." She added: "When he was let off, I was lost for words. It was heart-wrenching. The police said there wasn't enough evidence, but I knew that there was." Paton now lives with PTSD, night terrors, and Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder (EUPD). She believes the six-year sentence is too lenient: "I'm serving a life sentence for what he did to me, so why can't he do the same?"
Civil Case and Campaign for Harsher Sentences
Paton is pursuing a civil case against Leicestershire Police for their failure to properly investigate in 2017. She has launched a GoFundMe page to raise funds for the case and private therapy. She said: "I think it's shocking that all the police got is training and a slap on the wrist for something so horrific. I don't think it's good enough for all the years I lost to them." A Leicestershire Police spokesperson confirmed that the investigating officer and supervisor were given "learning by reflection" outcomes. The force apologized to Paton, but no appeal was received regarding the decision.
