Ireland

Court told of RTÉ producer's explicit message he thought he was sending to girl (13)

Kieran Creaven (55) is accused of attempting to meet a child following grooming for a sexual purpose
Kieran Creaven (55) is accused of attempting to meet a child following grooming for a sexual purpose Kieran Creaven (55) is accused of attempting to meet a child following grooming for a sexual purpose

AN RTÉ television sports producer's sexually explicit message to someone he thought was a 13-year-old girl was read to a court on Monday.

Kieran Creaven (55) is accused of 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.

Mr Creaven, who is married, allegedly 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 allegedly first contacted the 'girl' online - to November 18 when he arrived at the hotel in the city.

Prosecutor Jill Seddon told Leeds Magistrates Court that Mr Creaven sent a message with sexually explicit content, which she read to the court, and a sexually explicit photograph.

No indication to pleas was given as Mr Creaven, with an address in Dublin, was bailed to next appear before Leeds Crown Court on December 12.

His bail conditions are that he resides at an address in Ireland given to the court, has no unsupervised contact with any child aged under 16 and, if requested by police, supplies any device that is internet-enabled.

Mr Creaven spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth.

The chairman of the bench, Rosemary Heslop, ruled that the address of the defendant should not be published for his safety, following an application from Mr Creaven's solicitor, Mr Pritchard, who refused to give his full name to reporters.

The Crown had partly opposed bail on the grounds that Mr Creaven should be remanded in custody for his own protection.