Paedophile West Yorkshire councillor Alex Kear fantasied about having sex with baby and set up a meeting to abuse fictional toddler during undercover police operation
Alex Kear was told by a judge that he represents a serious risk to children as he was handed an extended prison sentence of six years at Leeds Crown Court today.
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Hide AdKear, who will now lose his seat as an independent on Wakefield Council, was arrested after he sent explicit photographs and depraved text messages to an undercover officer posing as the mother of a three-year-old girl.
The 50-year-old was arrested in August last year, three months after he was elected councillor for Airedale and Ferry Fryston ward at the local elections.
Jonathan Sharp, prosecuting, said Kear became involved with a group on the Kik messaging site which discussed inter-familial sex abuse.
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Hide AdKear sent sexually explicit images of himself and sickening text messages describing his wish to have sex with the child,
Mr Sharp said the defendant made repeated requests to be sent sexual images of the girl.
The undercover officer asked Kear how long he had had a sexual interest in children.
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Hide AdHe replied: "I think as long as I can remember but also the older I get the younger I like them.
"Twenty years ago I would never have thought about a baby but now ..... young."
Kear made arrangements to meet with the child to have sex with her on August 17.
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Hide AdKear was arrested at his home in Castleford a day before the meeting was due to take place.
Mr Sharp said Kear lied when interviewed by police and claimed he was a 'one-man paedophile hunter group'.
Kear of Stansfield Drive, Castleford, pleaded guilty to arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sexual offence involving a child under the age of 13.
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Hide AdHe also admitted one charge of inciting the sexual exploitation of a child under the age of 13.
Michael Collins, mitigating, said: "This is a case of some tragedy."
The barrister said: "He was elected as a local councillor in May last year and has been contributing to improving society.
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Hide AdMr Collins said his client welcomed his arrest as he needed help with a long standing addiction to pornography.
He added that Kear had now lost his seat on Wakefield Council.
The court heard Kear had been living with his son and partner of 15 years at the time of his arrest but the relationship is now over.
He was placed on the sex offender register for life.
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Hide AdJudge Simon Phillips QC told him: "I have no doubt that if that three-year-old girl had existed you would have intended to carry out your degenerate predatory plans against her."
The judge said: "This is a deep-seated degeneracy on your behalf as illustrated by the communications you have made that you have been interested in little girls for as long as you can remember and that you have waited years for something like this to happen."
Wakefield Council said last month that it was frustrated it could not remove Kear from his position as a councillor because the law said this can only be done when defendants are jailed for three months or more.
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Hide AdYvette Cooper, MP for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford, called for an urgent review of the law following Kear's conviction.
After Kear pleaded guilty to the offences at a hearing last month Gillian Marshall, Wakefield Council’s chief legal officer, : "Under local authority legislation, Alex Kear remains a councillor.
"Wakefield Council is powerless to remove him at this stage.
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Hide Ad“Central government has essentially left local councils powerless to take action in these situations.
"We do not have any authority to remove elected members from their position, regardless of the severity of their alleged crimes, unless they receive a significant custodial sentence.
"Therefore unless Coun Kear chooses to resign, he remains a councillor. This will be reviewed when he is sentenced.
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Hide Ad“As soon as we were made aware of the investigation by West Yorkshire Police we took all the appropriate safeguarding measures within our control and we will continue to do so.”
After the case, NSPCC spokesperson said: “Kear’s sickening determination to abuse a three-year-old shows he is clearly a serious danger to children.
“While Kear has been jailed and his former position of authority and respect lies in tatters, his experience is incomparable to sexual abuse, which can ruin childhoods and leave survivors with mental and emotional scars which could last a lifetime.
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Hide Ad“His actions also highlight how sexual predators can use the internet for their own horrific means, and just how important it is that the Government and major tech companies do more to ensure strong regulation and legislation cracks down on this kind of activity, to protect children from paedophiles like Kear, and ensure they face the justice they deserve.”
Children can contact Childline on 0800 1111. Adults who wish to report concerns about a child’s wellbeing can contact the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 8005000 or email [email protected]