A man whose partner is accused of murdering their two children in a Spanish hotel was convicted today of raping and indecently assaulting a young girl over a nine-year period. Martin Smith, 45, who claimed to be a psychic and appeared on Living TV's Most Haunted, abused the girl from the age of seven, Manchester Crown Court heard.
A jury found Smith guilty of 11 counts including rape, attempted rape, indecency with a child, and indecent assault, committed between May 1995 and May 2004. The victim, now in her 20s, told the court that Smith attempted to hypnotise her and used violence and bullying to ensure her compliance. Smith will be sentenced in the new year.
The case comes after Smith's daughter Rebecca, five, and son Daniel, 11 months, were found dead in a hotel in Lloret de Mar, Spain, on 18 May. Their mother, Lianne Smith, 44, is in custody in Spain on suspicion of murder. The couple had fled the UK in December 2007 after Martin Smith was accused of child sex offences, claiming they feared social services would take their daughter into care.
Judge Stephen Irwin told Smith: 'Having been convicted you know that you inevitably face a long sentence in custody.' The victim said she was 'delighted' with the verdict, adding: 'My motivation has always been to protect other children from Martin Smith.' Detective Inspector Kim Fulton of Cumbria Police praised the victim's bravery, saying the impact of the abuse was 'immeasurable'.
