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Children's counsellor caught trying to groom teenage girl for sex

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Published Date: 10 July 2010
A children's counsellor from Little Harrowden who tried to meet a 13-year-old girl for sex faces jail after he was snared by an undercover journalist.
Simon Beard, 56, who gave relationship advice to teenagers, arranged to meet a Sky News reporter posing as an underage girl named Amy.

The reporters claimed Beard spent a month grooming Amy online.

He turned up for the rendezvous at Gunnersbury underground station in West London, only to be greeted by a reporter and a camera crew.

Beard refused to comment when confronted by TV reporters.
He had previously sent the reporter live footage of himself performing a sex act via a webcam.

Beard appeared via videolink from Wandsworth Prison at Southwark Crown Court yesterday for a plea and case management hearing.

He pleaded guilty to a string of child sex offences.

Judge David Higgins set a sentencing date of August 6.

Beard, of Main Street, Little Harrowden, was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing.

He admitted attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming, two counts of attempting to cause a child to engage in sexual activity and one of attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act.



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  • Last Updated: 10 July 2010 7:27 AM
  • Source: n/a
  • Location: Kettering
 
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Safewings,

11/07/2010 08:56:01
This is what PC and a useless lawless society has brought to us.
People like the above that are in responsible areas of trust and in direct contact with the vulnerable, namely children. How can any of us with children, especially those who are vulnerable ( special needs ) ever begin to trust the very people employed to help and give reasurrance?.
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NicB,

11/07/2010 18:15:50
Safewings - I understand what you're saying, but there's a fundamental problem in that at some point, you have to trust people.

How would you have found and prevented this? Mr Beard spent many years surrounded by people who are experts in reading and understanding other people and passing all the regular checks for safety (and believe me, these are not simple checks, they are intrusive, detailed and meticulously executed). No-one suspected anything.

What laws would you implement in order to catch him earlier?

And what laws would you change to protect the majority of children who suffer abuse at the hands of their families? Take them all away to be protected by a group you can trust? How do you know you can trust them?
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