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Ex-BBC producer jailed over child porn
20 Nov 2009A former top BBC sports producer was behind bars today for amassing an extensive child porn library.
Martyn Smith, 44, who masterminded the Sport Relief charity with Match of the Day host Gary Lineker, was arrested following one of Britain's biggest paedophile investigations.
Operation Algebra, led by Scottish police, followed a cyber trial involving explicit internet chat about sexual fantasies involving children.
Nearly 125,000 illicit images of youngsters were recovered and eight men subsequently convicted of a catalogue of child pornography and abuse charges, including the sexual assault of a three-month-old boy.
They were jailed for up to 10 years each earlier this year.
London's Southwark Crown Court heard the email exchanges also led to Smith's identification.
He had been in touch with one of the defendants discussing how they would like to abuse a "screaming" five-year-old as he was "knocked around" and raped.
Lothian and Borders police promptly alerted their Scotland Yard counterparts.
Homes he then had in Garrick Close, Wandsworth, south-west London and Chichester Terrace, Brighton, were later raided.
Peter Zinner, prosecuting, said the defendant had "realised he had a problem and was in the process of deleting these images"
He told the court "various computer hard drives and software were seized at both addresses" and more than 1,600 images recovered.
They included a "large amount" of Level 5 - the most serious child porn category - and Level 4 material being recovered.
"Some of the children depicted and being subjected to sexual abuse are very, very young. One is a baby, another is about two. All the images were of boys."
Smith, who is understood to have spent 20 years with BBC Sport before leaving in 2007, pleaded guilty to 14 "sample" counts of making indecent photographs of a child on or before April 2, 2009.
Told he would be remanded in custody until December 18 while a pre-sentence report was prepared, Isabelle Gillard, defending, asked the judge to reconsider and allow her client to remain on bail.
"Before these matters came to light he had already started taking some steps himself to address his behaviour. Since then he has voluntarily been to psychotherapy and has been assessed by a psychiatrist.
"At that very early stage and in his interview he was open in many respects about these matters. He has also pleaded guilty at an early stage and is in the middle of courses with a psychotherapist.
"There are many underlying problems including matters of physical health."
The barrister added that once Judge John Price had read the various reports on Smith he might well choose not to jail him. But the judge rejected her bail application.
The former producer, who had done charity work in Africa, was part of the BBC Sport team that persuaded ex-PM Tony Blair to play tennis against Wimbledon Champion Pat Cash at London's Queen's Tennis Club to publicise the 2004 Sport Relief event.
In 2006, he documented Little Britain star David Walliams's cross-Channel swim.
Reader views (1)
What is wrong with the world and all you sick people who find joy in hurting young and innocent people.
What have they ever done to you.
I hope Karma decides to hit you in the ass. You all dont deserve to be on this planet and make life hell for those who are vulnerable and innocent.
- Terri, Canada, 24/11/2009 21:29
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