A convicted British paedophile who moved to Ireland and posed as a talent agent for children has been sentenced to 10 months in jail.

 

Sean Johnson, a 33-year-old graduate from Derbyshire, England, was arrested by gardaí after concerned parents issued warnings about the conman, who had assumed a number of different identities as he moved around Ireland.

 

Having previously been placed on the Sex Offenders’ List in the UK, Johnson spent some time in Galway, during which period he posed as a talent agent and ran auditions for children as young as seven.

 

Going under names including Alexander Matthews, Alexander Quinn and Lexan Reid, Johnson moved around the country asking for parents to submit their children’s ‘CVs’ and try out for a part in his fictional events. He even went so far as to hire a photographer. 

 

When authorities discovered his true identity and background, Johnson was arrested and held in custody, before being released after the DPP said to drop the charges.

 

Johnson moved on to Dublin, where he continued on his ruse, but eventually ended up in Cork, after being accused of misappropriating funds he raised fraudulently for his fictional TV and film events.

 

When he moved to Cork, he set about promoting a new talent agency, Cynosure Talent Management, advertising a fake TV show that he pretended was for RTE, asking for children to participate.

 

 

Homeless at the time, Johnson came to the attention of a reporter, with his fake “story” going public. Telling the reporter that he had been raised by his grandparents, now deceased, in the UK, he explained that he was homeless and had no identification because his documents were stolen during a period spent living in a warehouse.

 

When Johnson’s story was broadcast, it struck a chord with certain members of the public, with a few keen-eared listeners figuring out his true identity.

 

In a dramatic twist to the story, shortly after a radio interview documenting his “homelessness” went public, REDFM presenter Neil Prendeville recorded a phone call in which he put the allegations about Johnson’s true identity to him.

 

While Johnson denied the claims, authorities were able to establish that he was, indeed, the convicted paedophile. After fleeing Cork after the interview went public, Johnson was apprehended and arrested by gardaí in Tralee.

 

Being sentenced to 10 months in prison yesterday, Johnson was described as a “dangerous character”.

 

Judge Mary Fahy told the court: “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.”

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