TV producer who was confronted by 'paedophile hunters' admits sex offences

A television sports producer has admitted sex offences after he was confronted by so-called paedophile hunters when he travelled to the UK to meet what he thought was a 13-year-old girl.

At Leeds Crown Court on Monday Kieran Creaven, 55, admitted attempting to meet a child following grooming for a sexual purpose and of attempting to cause or incite a child to engage in sexual activity, namely kissing and cuddling.

Kieran Creavan (centre) is filmed by a member of the Predator Exposure group (left) outside Leeds Crown Court (Dave Higgens/PA)
Kieran Creavan (centre) is filmed by a member of the Predator Exposure group (left) outside Leeds Crown Court (Dave Higgens/PA)

Creaven, who works for the Irish broadcaster RTE, flew from Ireland to Leeds to meet up at The Queens Hotel with the "girl", who was in fact a fake online identity created by a group of so-called paedophile hunters.

The offences were said to have taken place from July 1 - when the defendant first contacted the "girl" online - to November 18 when he arrived at the hotel in the city.

He was released on bail to be sentenced on February 12.

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