Court hands Wigan resident suspended sentence and long-term restriction order
A Wigan man has been given a suspended prison sentence after admitting sexual assaults on a 15-year-old and the possession and creation of indecent images. The defendant will also be made subject to a decade-long sexual harm prevention order and placed on the sex offender register.
David Smalley, aged 48 of Walthew Lane, Platt Bridge, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to a series of offences relating to a young victim and indecent material. The charges, as set out at Bolton Crown Court, covered incidents in early and mid-2025 and the possession of images in 2026.
He pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to two counts of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl, possessing indecent images and taking pictures under clothing.
The judge imposed a custodial term of 22 months, suspended for three years. As part of the sentence package the court ordered:
- 250 hours of unpaid work;
- An electronically monitored curfew for four months;
- Placement on the national sex offender register;
- A 10-year sexual harm prevention order.
What the sentence means locally
The sentence combines a suspended custodial term with community penalties and long-term legal controls. A suspended sentence means the prison term will not be immediately activated, provided the defendant complies with the court-imposed conditions and avoids further offending during the suspension period. The 250 hours of unpaid work will involve supervised community service while the electronic curfew will restrict movements overnight for the specified period.
The imposition of a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and registration requirements are designed to limit contact with potential victims and give police powers to manage and monitor risk. These measures remain in place beyond the suspended sentence and will be recorded on official systems used by enforcement and safeguarding agencies.
Details of the offending recorded at court
According to the indictment presented to the court, Smalley admitted to:
- Two counts of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old between 1 and 28 February 2025;
- Possessing indecent images categorised as A, B and C on 1 January 2026;
- Two counts of taking photographs under a person’s clothing between 4 April and 11 May 2025.
All these matters were admitted by the defendant earlier in the proceedings. The court assessed the range of offences and applied sentencing guidelines that took into account both the nature of the conduct and the defendant’s guilty pleas.
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Custodial sentence | 22 months (suspended for 3 years) |
| Community requirement | 250 hours unpaid work |
| Curfew | Electronic curfew for 4 months |
| Registration / Orders | Sex offender register and 10-year sexual harm prevention order |
Impact and next steps
The case will be noted by local safeguarding partners and the police, who maintain oversight where sexual harm prevention orders and registration measures are in force. The suspended sentence carries an explicit warning: any breach or further offending during the suspension period can result in immediate activation of the custodial term.
For residents of Platt Bridge and the wider Wigan area the case is a reminder of the legal mechanisms in place to manage convicted offenders in the community and of the role of courts in combining punishment with protective measures to reduce risk to children and others. Anyone with concerns about offending or safeguarding should continue to contact Greater Manchester Police or local child protection services.
This report sets out the facts as recorded at Bolton Crown Court and the measures that will apply to the individual named. The sentence is intended both to penalise past conduct and to limit future risk through statutory controls.
Reporting from Wigan for WE NEWS.
