Kids made to film sex acts by convicted paedophile and woman


A convicted paedophile who performed sexual acts with a woman while two children filmed them has been jailed — but his co-accused has walked free.
Judge Graham Reeds said James Smith (44), of Oaks Lane, Rotherham, and Claire Crosby (38), of Moorgate Road, should be “thoroughly ashamed” and there would likely be “universal condemnation and disgust” towards children having been asked to film sexual activities.
He jailed Smith (pictured) for four years and eight months at Sheffield Crown Court last Monday after he admitted three counts of sexual activity in the presence of a child and two counts of possessing indecent photographs of a child.
Smith also admitted breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order which banned him from having any contact with girls under 17 or any child without permission. He has twice breached similar orders in the past.
Crosby, whose barrister claimed she had been “groomed and manipulated” by Smith, pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual activity in the presence of a child and was given an 18-month jail sentence, suspended for two years.
Crosby claimed she hadn’t known about Smith’s previous child sex offences — for which he was jailed for eight months in 2004 and for 20 weeks in 2015.
The pair’s offending was uncovered when police found three sexual videos of Smith and Crosby on a phone which had been sold to Cash Generator in Rotherham.
“What is clear from these films is that children were commenting on what was taking place,” prosecutor Mr Richard Sheldon said.
“The children were filming them.”
Mr Sheldon said he did not accept that the children “walked in inadvertently on them”.
Smith and Crosby were arrested on March 11 and three indecent images of children were found on devices seized from Smith.
“They reflected Smith’s obvious interest in paedophile activities,” Mr Sheldon said.
He said police recovered more than 1,000 text messages between Crosby and Smith which referred to various sexual activities between them and sexual activities with a child filming.
Ms Vanessa Saxton, mitigating for Smith, said he was open to taking part in a rehabilitation programme for sex offenders.
Crosby was also ordered to complete 60 days of rehabilitation.