Repeat Offender Jailed After High-Tech SmartWater Sting
David Buen, 52, has been locked up for 32 weeks after brazenly breaking a restraining order—twice. Initially handed a five-year order in September 2023 for controlling and coercive behaviour, he flagrantly ignored it again after a brief spell behind bars.
Breached Order Twice in Six Months
Buen first violated the restraining order in October 2023 and was promptly recalled to prison. Yet, unfazed, he struck again in April 2024 by showing up at the victim’s home in Alfreton, flouting the court’s orders.
SmartWater Evidence Nails Burglar
The victim had been issued SmartWater—a forensic marking spray that’s invisible to the naked eye but glows under ultraviolet light. When Buen visited on 21 April, officers sprayed him, capturing the evidence on his skin and clothes.
“Under UV light, the SmartWater was clearly visible,” police said. “We photographed it and showed the images to Buen, who then admitted the offence.”
Swift Justice Delivered
Buen, a man with no fixed address, pleaded guilty at Derby Crown Court on 11 June to breaching the restraining order and breaching a suspended sentence. Along with his jail term, he received a 10-year Stalking Protection Order.
This case marks one of the first times SmartWater has been used in a domestic abuse-related prosecution in the UK. West Yorkshire Police secured the initial conviction with the tech in 2022, nabbing a man who breached a non-molestation order.
