Sex offender held child talent show auditions

A sex offender who held talent show auditions to gain access to children has been jailed for 10 months.

Judge Mary Fahy yesterday issued a stark warning to “foolish parents” of young children who could be “enticed” to such events.

“Let it be a lesson to everyone, it just shows you how vigilant parents must be when they bring their children to these talent shows,” she said.

Sean Johnson, aged 33, originally from Derbyshire, held drama classes and auditions for a talent show in Galway before he was arrested in February 2014. Charges were dropped two months later, but he resurfaced in Cork last month, planning similar operations.

Galway District Court heard yesterday Johnson was holding auditions on February 1 last year for a talent show for children as young as seven at the city library. Children were accompanied by parents who had submitted CVs on their child’s behalf as part of an application process. Johnson had hired a professional photographer for the event, Garda Pat Fahy told the court. He was arrested for violating the terms of his obligations as a registered sex offender.

On April 11, 2014, the charges against him were dropped after information sought by the DPP requiring the involvement of the English authorities was not provided on time.

Last month, gardaí became aware Johnson was conducting similar operations in Cork under the name Alexander Matthews.

Using homeless services in Cork, Johnson conducted a radio interview with local station Red FM along with a follow-up print media interview, telling how he was living in a tent on the outskirts of Cork.

In an interview with Neil Prendeville recorded on January 27, Johnson had denied allegations he was a sex offender operating under a fake name.

When gardaí from Galway arrived in Cork on the same day, Johnson had fled the city but was arrested in Tralee, Co Kerry, two days later.

In October 2009, Johnson was sentenced to four months in prison for downloading ‘disgusting’ pornographic images and movies of children. At Stafford Crown Court, he was branded a “high risk” of causing harm to young children and banned from working with children indefinitely.

He was subjected to a sexual offences prevention order for five years and ordered to register as a sex offender for seven years.

Sentencing Johnson to 10 months in prison for a violation of the UK court’s order which applies in Ireland, Judge Fahy praised Det Sgt Adrian O’Neill and Garda Pat Fahy and said their commitment should be applauded.

“This was well-planned and well thought out and the plan well executed and but for the good offices of the gardaí that they followed it through and went to Cork he would not have been detected. He had changed his name and even though they didn’t have all the details, due to good garda detection, he was detected,” Judge Fahy said.