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SMITH Paul

Case Reference: 46YY0455421

Case Details

Reference

46YY0455421

Court

Maidstone

Magistrate

HIS HONOUR JUDGE STEVENSON , HIS HONOUR JUDGE OLIVER SAXBY KC , HIS HONOUR JUDGE ST JOHN-STEVENS , HIS HONOUR JUDGE HARRIS , HIS HONOUR JUDGE LAZARUS , HIS HONOUR JUDGE ROBERT LAZARUS , HIS HONOUR JUDGE SMITH - THE HONORARY RECORDER OF MAIDSTONE , HIS HONOUR JUDGE JULIAN SMITH , HIS HONOUR JUDGE BRANSTON , HIS HONOUR JUDGE GRIFFITHS , HIS HONOUR JUDGE LUCAS KC

Hearing Date

7 May 2026

Time

11:15 am

Hearing Type

For Sentence

Court Type

crown

Prosecutor

Other Prosecutor

Case Details

Complainant's anonymity protected by virtue of Section 1 of the Sexual Offences Amendment Act 1992, ALL PARTIES TO ATTEND COURT

Next Steps at this Sentencing

The sentencing hearing takes place after a defendant pleads guilty or is found guilty at trial. The judge or magistrates review the Sentencing Council guidelines, consider aggravating and mitigating factors, read any pre-sentence reports or victim personal statements, and decide the appropriate penalty.

Court Jurisdiction: Crown Court - The Crown Court handles serious criminal cases (indictable-only offences, like murder, rape, robbery) and either-way offences sent up by the Magistrates' Court. Trials are heard by a judge and a jury of 12 citizens. Sentencing powers are up to the statutory maximum for the offence (including life imprisonment).

General Case Information

This listing represents public court record proceedings for SMITH Paul. The legal proceedings will occur at Maidstone. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Source: HMCTS Public Court Lists.
Disclaimer: The legal definitions and sentencing guidelines above are for general educational purposes under English Law and do not constitute formal legal representation or advice. If you are facing criminal prosecution, consult a qualified criminal defense solicitor immediately.

Case FAQs & Procedure Guide

The court considers the severity of the offence, the defendant's level of culpability (blameworthiness), the harm caused, any previous criminal record (aggravating factors), and positive character references or early guilty pleas (mitigating factors).

Sentences can include discharges (absolute or conditional), fines, community orders (unpaid work, rehabilitation), suspended prison sentences, or immediate custodial sentences (imprisonment).

Yes. The defense can appeal against the severity of the sentence, and the prosecution can appeal (in some serious Crown Court cases) if they believe the sentence was unduly lenient.

Guilt is decided by a jury of 12 randomly selected members of the public, who must decide unanimously (or by a majority, if permitted by the judge) if the defendant is guilty beyond reasonable doubt.

The judge ensures the trial is conducted fairly according to the law, rules on legal arguments, summarizes the case for the jury, and determines the sentence if the defendant is convicted.

Interested in the outcome of this case? You can request more information by emailing the court directly using the Email Court button at the top of the page.

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