Man who previously raped girl, 15, jailed for new sex attack on woman he met on dating site

Peter Smith, 42, of Carlin How, and victim had begun a consensual relationship after meeting through website

A rapist who previously attacked an underage girl has received a lengthy jail term for another horrific attack.

Peter Smith, 42, had begun a consensual sexual relationship with the victim after they had met on a dating website on the internet, a court heard.

But Smith - who had raped a 15-year-old schoolgirl some years before - ended up carrying out a terrifying sex attack on his new lover.

Teesside Crown Court was told how Smith had a smirk on his face before carrying out the attack on Friday, September 13 last year.

Smith was “considerably larger” than his victim, the court heard.

"She was crying, saying ‘No’ and trying to kick him off but he wouldn’t stop,” said prosecutor Dan Cordey.

The victim claimed the whole ordeal made her feel dirty.

In a victim statement, she said she had tried to be strong but felt she was living in fear.

A complaint was made to police and Smith was later arrested. When he was interviewed, he denied any wrongdoing.

But Smith changed his tune and pleaded guilty to the rape on the day of his trial at Teesside Crown Court.

The convicted sex offender also admitted breaching notification requirements by failing to tell the authorities he had stayed at a different address.

The court heard his previous convictions included indecent assault and most seriously the rape of a 15-year-old girl.

She was dragged into an alley and attacked, for which Smith received a seven-year jail term in the 1990s.

Kate Dodds, in mitigation, said the previous rape was a horrific offence but it had happened when he was a much younger man.

In the latest case, she said Smith and the woman had begun a consensual relationship and both had seemed happy at the way it was going.

It was only after a period of days that things began to go wrong and there was no excuse for his behaviour.

Recorder Andrew Sutcliffe QC said he took into account that the previous rape had happened some 16 years ago and the circumstances of this offence were different.

But he told Smith they indicated “a serious propensity to commit offences of this nature”.

Smith, of Maynard Street, Carlin How, was jailed for six years, with an extended licence period of five years.

He was also made the subject of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order.