Man caught in TV news child sex sting jailed

Simon Beard, 56, was caught red-handed after Five News – provided by Sky News journalists – carried out an undercover online investigation into men who attempted to groom children for sex.

Beard was caught arranging to meet the girl for sex at Gunnersbury Tube station in west London on April 29, Southwark Crown Court in London heard.

Beard, of Little Harrowden, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, was employed by the National Youth Agency between 2002 and September last year.

Mr Zinner said in his role, Beard "specialised, it seems, in giving advice to young people about healthy sexual development and relationships".

Sentencing him, judge Anthony Leonard QC said: "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."

Beard was arrested after investigators monitored the activities of several people on teen chatrooms and posed as a 13-year-old girl called Amy.

The broadcaster then passed a dossier of evidence, including film footage, to the Metropolitan Police.

Beard, who called himself "Funman UK" and "Sim", spent a month grooming Amy online without realising he was speaking to undercover reporters, the investigation revealed.

The married father-of-two and grandfather exposed himself on webcam and tried to persuade her to perform a sex act before suggesting she meet him to have sex. He also asked her if she was a virgin and requested she send photographs of herself.

Prosecutor Peter Zinner said: "The conversation was recorded by Sky News. It was of a highly sexual nature, it is clear that much of the sexual content was instigated by Mr Beard."