Latest Offenders Dorest

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Detectives have praised a brave victim for her support in bringing a violent sexual offender to justice.

Chad Antony Martin Smedburg, aged 36 and of Ringwood, was sentenced to 10 years in prison – with an extended licence period of a further two years – for repeated violent assaults and rape involving the same female victim.

The defendant’s abuse spanned a period of several months, with his victim subjected to repeated assaults and he also had sex with her despite her making it clear she did not consent.

The victim reported the offending to police and was supported by officers and an independent sexual violence advisor (ISVA) as detectives from Dorset County CID carried out a detailed investigation and the matter went through the court process.

Following the offences, the defendant was brought under the supervision of Dorset Police’s High Harm Unit, which monitors the highest risk VAWG offenders in the county.

Smedburg subsequently entered guilty pleas to an offence of rape and three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, as well as breaching a suspended sentence order and unrelated driving matters and possession of class A and class B drugs.

He was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on Wednesday 6 May 2026.

Investigations Officer Flo Winstanley, of Dorset County CID, said:

“First and foremost I want to praise the victim for the courage she has shown initially to come forward and report this despicable abuse and then for her support throughout the investigation and court process.

“I hope the bravery she has shown encourages other victims of violent and sexual abuse to come forward in the knowledge that they will be supported and we will do all we can to bring perpetrators to justice.

“With the victim’s support and our comprehensive investigation, we were able to hold Chad Smedburg to account for his violent sexual behaviour.”

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A CONVICTED sex offender was jailed for breaching a court order imposed to protect women from his offending.

Peter Barney, of Verwood Road, Three Legged Cross, appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court on Wednesday, March 17 and was sentenced to 21 months in prison for breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

The 59-year-old was previously sentenced in March 2013 to three years in prison for an offence of assault by penetration and was made the subject of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order for an indefinite period.

The offence had been committed while he was carrying out work as a gardener and the order imposed by the court stated he could not be alone in the course of his employment with any female not related to him in any property or garden.

On Wednesday, March 11, last year a woman was alone at her Wimborne home when Barney knocked on the front door and asked if she wanted any gardening work done.

As they spoke in the porch and the front garden, initially the woman did not recognise him but she came to realise that she did know him and had been made aware previously of the order he was subject to.

She said during their interaction Barney made her feel very uncomfortable and made comments about her "beautiful eyes".

As the woman went to call her husband, Barney left her garden and she heard a vehicle drive away. She reported the matter to police and Barney was arrested the following day.

At court he admitted breaching the order, but denied making a comment about her eyes and claimed much of the interaction took place on the pavement outside her property rather than in her garden. After hearing evidence, a judge dismissed Barney's version of events.

At sentencing, Barney was also made subject to a new Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a restraining order was put in place to protect the victim. Both orders will run until further notice.

Investigator Bill Nixon, of Dorset Police's Management of Sexual Offenders and Violent Offenders (MOSOVO) team, said: "The court imposed the order when Barney was sentenced in 2013 to protect women from Barney's sexual offending.

"This breach showed a complete disregard for that order and I would like to thank the victim for reporting this to us and supporting us during the investigation, as well as giving evidence in court."

Detective Inspector Sarah Gillion, of MOSOVO, added: "Thanks to the victim's support, Barney is now facing the consequences of ignoring the court order, with a further prison sentence, and he will continue to be closely managed by the MOSOVO team on his release.

"Our team is committed to working with our partners to ensure offenders who pose a risk to women and other members of our communities abide by any restrictions that are in place. If they fail to do so, we will ensure appropriate action is taken."