Des Smith

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Desmond 'Des' P Smith MA, BA, ACDip was, until his retirement in July 2006[1] , the headteacher at All Saints Catholic School and Technology College, Dagenham.[2] Smith attained notability by making the indiscreet remarks that triggered the Cash for Peerages scandal.

Contents

[edit] All Saints Catholic School and Technology College

Smith was the head of this school (until 1992 known as Bishop Ward) to 2006. When he took over standards at Bishop Ward were poor with an atmosphere described as "depressed and violent". Following the appointment of Smith in 1984[3] results steadily improved until in 2003 it was considered "the second most improved school in England".[4]

[edit] City Academy programme

Des Smith was a council member of the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (of which Lord Levy is the President), which helped the government recruit sponsors for the £5bn City Academy programme.[5]

[edit] Cash for peerages

In January 2006 the Sunday Times embarked on a sting operation to investigate allegations that honours were available to be 'bought'. Over a champagne dinner with an undercover reporter Smith is alleged to have said "Because basically . . . the prime minister’s office would recommend someone like Malcolm (a fictional potential donor) for an OBE, a CBE or a knighthood".[6]

When the investigation was published Smith quit his post with the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust in January 2006.[7]

On 13 April 2006 the Metropolitan Police arrested Smith under the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925 but, shortly afterwards, Scotland Yard announced that he was freed on bail "to return... pending further inquiries".[8]

On 3 December 2006 Smith gave an emotional interview to the Mail on Sunday, providing the front-page headline, in which he said "I demand that Blair is arrested at 10 Downing Street at 7.20am, that he is taken to a police station — hopefully Stoke Newington, which is a very unpleasant Bastille-type place — and treated the same way that I have been treated.", mirroring his own experience of arrest.[9]

On 7 February 2007, the Crown Prosecution Service announced that Smith would not face any charges because there was "insufficient evidence" to charge him with an offence under the 1925 Act.[10]

[edit] Drink-driving

Smith pleaded guilty to a drink-driving offence on July 25 2006 arising from an incident when he was found to be almost three times over the drink-drive limit after his car crashed and ended up on its side. Smith was banned from driving for three years, fined £1,800, and ordered to attend a drink-impaired drivers' course and carry out 80 hours community service.[11]

[edit] References