AN Exmouth man has appeared in court accused of harassing a woman.
Daniel Smith, of Withycombe Road, Exmouth, pleaded guilty at Exeter Magistrates’ Court to assault by beating and touching a woman without her consent, putting him in breach of a criminal behaviour order.
On February 27, the defendant grabbed the woman while she was walking along Alphington Road in Exeter.
The court heard the victim had headphones on and was listening to music when Smith appeared in front of her with both arms outstretched.
Although the victim does not know Smith personally, she recognised him as someone who she had previously had negative interactions with.
She moved aside so he could pass but Smith grabbed both her arms in a tight grip and yanked her towards him. The victim said his face was ‘screwed up with anger’.
A man passing by said he saw Smith cross traffic ‘as if he had seen something on the other side of the road’.
The witness yelled at him to let the woman go, and although Smith held on, she was able to escape his grip.
The victim had come across Smith before in the city centre and at Riverside Leisure Centre, and said he had previously made comments about her appearance and left her feeling uncomfortable.
In a victim impact statement, the woman said Smith acts as if he feels entitled to speak to her.
She said: “I don’t know what he would have done if the other male had not intervened. He seemed angry with me.”
The witness followed Smith after the incident and gave a detailed description to the police, which was passed on to CCTV operators. The defendant was arrested at Riverside Leisure Centre the following day.
In 2024, Smith was jailed for 24 weeks and given a four-year Criminal Behaviour Order after being convicted of acts of violence and intimidation against a number of women in Exeter and Exmouth.
The prosecution said his previous convictions involved ‘similar circumstances engaging with females unknown to him and assaulting them’.
Smith’s Criminal Behaviour Order prevents him from unreasonably approaching or communicating with any female in a private or a public place, sitting next to a female on public transport when other seating is available, physically making contact with any female unless unavoidable, and making unwanted communication with a female.
Smith’s solicitor said the defendant has ‘vulnerabilities of his own’, adding that Smith is diagnosed with ASD and has language difficulties.
The case was sent to Exeter Crown Court, where the defendant will appear on March 30.
Magistrates said: “The offences are so serious, you need greater punishment than we can give.”
Smith cried out as the bench announced he would be remanded in custody until his next hearing.
This story was produced via the Police & Crime Commissioner’s Criminal Justice Court Reporting scheme.
