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Online consultant groomed teens for sex
Simon Beard, 56, a consultant at the National Youth Agency, was caught red-handed in an undercover investigation by Sky News reporters who were looking into cases of men who attempted to groom children for sex.
An online consultant whose job was to advise young people on their sexual development groomed teenagers for sex and was caught red-handed while arranging to meet a "trained" girl.
Simon Beard, 56, a consultant at the London National Youth Agency, was caught red-handed in an undercover investigation by Sky News reporters who were looking into cases of men who attempted to groom children for sex.
The reporters entered a teenage online chat room and posed as a 13-year-old girl called "Amy".
Beard arranged to meet the girl for sex at the Gunnersbury Tube Station in west London. He also attempted to incite the 13-year-old to engage in sexual activity as well as to cause the girl to watch a sexual act.
Beard was caught after the reporters passed a dossier of evidence, including film footage, to the Metropolitan Police.
Judge David Higgins at the Southwark Crown Court in central London ordered a pre-sentence report into the danger Beard posed to the public, saying he wanted a "proper opportunity to reflect on the true measure of his criminality".
Beard appeared via video link from Wandsworth Prison for the 20-minute plea.
Peter Zinner, for the prosecution, said Beard was "working for an organisation which effectively advised young people on their sexual development". Beard, a resident of Little Harrowden in Northamptonshire, was employed by the National Youth Agency in 2002 as a consultant. In his role, he advised and counselled young people and youth workers on sexual relationships.
Beard, however, denied a further charge of possessing 83 indecent images of children.
