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Anorak News | Sky News Takes Credit For Five News Paedophile Sting

Sky News Takes Credit For Five News Paedophile Sting

by | 6th, August 2010

SIMON Beard, of Little Harrowden, Northamptonshire, is the paedophile “Jailed After Sky News Sting”. Or was it Five News that got him?

Simon Beard, a “youth consultant”, has been convicted of attempting to incite a minor to commit a sexual act, grooming a minor for sex and a dose of indecent exposure.

He is jailed for 21 months at London’s Southwark Crown Court

And Sky News says it caught him.

He began an online relationship with a 13-year-old girl called “Amy” without realising he was talking to undercover reporters. Beard exposed himself on webcam and asked Amy to do the same.

He went under the names ‘Funman UK’ and ‘Sim’.

Reporters from Sky News. Or as PA News says:

Simon Beard, 56, of Little Harrowden, was caught red-handed after Five News reporters carried out an undercover online investigation into men who attempted to groom children for sex.

Sky? Five? The BBC says Five.

Jason Farrell, whose report it is, worked for Five News. His work was broadcast on Sky News.

And Sky News, which does not mention Five in its report – it s”Sky’s probe” by “Sky journalists” – says Five must be mentioned in connection with Beard’s unmasking. As Sky says:

A Five News investigation reveals a youth consultant who gives relationship advice to teenagers, secretly grooms children on the Internet for sex

FIVE NEWS EXCLUSIVE Any quotes used must credit Five News In a Five News exclusive

So why does Sky claim it as its own on its main news page online?

As for the story, Beard operated under the guise of a Youth worker. Says the National Youth Association:

Mr Beard was employed by the National Youth Agency in 2002 as a Development Officer until September 2009 and subsequently as a consultant from November 2009. He was CRB checked as recently as November 2009 when he became a consultant.

And:

Among his responsibilities, Beard delivered a two-day training programme called “R U Ready”, advising youth workers how to counsel young people about sexual relationships.

Reports Sky:

In recorded conversations, he asked her to perform a sex act and asked if she was ready to lose her virginity. He also warned her not to tell anyone as he could go to prison if he was caught.

Beard went on to ask Amy to confirm she was not part of a police operation to trap paedophiles and that her mother would not be home if they met.
He was then followed from his home in Northamptonshire to an arranged meeting at Gunnersbury Tube station in west London, on April 29, where he was confronted by Sky journalists.

Says he, pathetically:

“I’m glad I was caught by this undercover investigation before I could cause any harm to a real teenager.”

Says Judge Anthony Leonard QC:

“While I have reservations about the appropriateness of such sting operations, it has exposed you as someone looking for young girls for your own sexual gratification.”

So. Are media stings the new way to go to catch paedos and wrongdoers? Is it what we want – for the media to be more proactive? And is Sky worried about Richard Desmond’s takeover of Five? After all, isn’t football, news and porn, Sky’s domain?



Posted: 6th, August 2010 | In: Key Posts, Reviews Comments (7) | TrackBack | Permalink