LEE BEAL'S SHOCKING CRIMES IN DEIGHTON AND SELBY LEISURE CENTRE REVEALED

In April 2019, a disturbing incident unfolded at the Selby Leisure Centre, located in the town of Selby, involving Lee Simon Beal, a 42-year-old man with a troubling history. Court proceedings revealed that Beal had spent approximately 40 minutes parked in his vehicle, facing the large window of the swimming pool area during a school half-term break. During this time, he was observed by the centre's staff and witnesses to be watching children swimming, an act that raised serious concerns about his intentions.

According to prosecutor Andrea Parnham, the centre manager became suspicious after noticing Beal sitting in his car for an extended period. When she approached to investigate, Beal attempted to conceal his actions by covering his lap with a cloth, an act that further alarmed those present. It was also disclosed that Beal maintained a Facebook profile under a false name, which contained 73 contacts, all female, suggesting an attempt to conceal his online activities. Additionally, police investigations uncovered that Beal had not disclosed the existence of two mobile phones to authorities, despite being on the sex offenders’ register and under a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) following his 2017 conviction for outraging public decency. That previous conviction involved Beal performing a sexual act while sitting in a car within a children’s play area, an incident that had already marked him as a serious risk.

Judge Andrew Stubbs QC addressed Beal’s conduct, stating, “The activity you were carrying out and your attitude to the (SHPO) order at that stage is sufficiently concerning that the custodial threshold has been passed in this case.” Despite this, the judge chose to suspend the 20-month prison sentence for two years, emphasizing the importance of rehabilitation. Beal was also ordered to undertake 20 days of rehabilitative activities and complete 140 hours of unpaid work. His status on the sex offenders’ register was extended until April 2029, and the existing SHPO remains in force, ensuring ongoing restrictions and monitoring.

Beal, residing at Ebor Court in Selby, pleaded guilty to multiple breaches of his SHPO. These included loitering in an area frequented by children at the Selby Leisure Centre on February 16, 2018, purchasing a mobile phone in secret on February 1, 2018, and failing to inform police about another phone found on September 12, 2018, which he used to set up the Facebook profile. These violations highlight a pattern of deceit and ongoing risk behavior, prompting authorities to take stringent measures to prevent further harm.

In a separate, yet equally disturbing incident, Beal was confronted in Deighton, a suburb of Huddersfield, after being caught engaging in highly inappropriate behavior near a children’s play area. This occurred in July 2017, when Beal, then 40 years old, was observed masturbating while filming children at play. The incident took place on Riddings Road, where residents noticed his actions and quickly intervened. Video footage and eyewitness accounts confirmed that Beal had been filming children aged 10 and under, with his mobile phone positioned on the windscreen of his vehicle, a silver Volkswagen Golf, which was parked just feet from the playground.

During the confrontation, residents called police, and Beal was detained. The police found over 70 video clips of children on his mobile device, some of which showed him engaging in sexual acts. The footage was shared on social media, where residents expressed outrage and anger. Witness Shane Shaw recounted approaching Beal’s vehicle and seeing him with one hand on the steering wheel and the other moving under his clothing, with the mobile phone attached to the windscreen recording the scene. Shaw managed to retrieve the phone and discovered the disturbing videos.

Beal claimed that he had parked to charge his phone and wait for a colleague, asserting that he was unaware the device was recording children. He also insisted that most of the footage on his phone was of his own children or relatives’ children, denying any inappropriate behavior. However, Judge Michael Fanning was unconvinced by Beal’s explanations, stating, “You deliberately parked your car in the street and placed your camera where you were able to video children at play. I’m satisfied that you were masturbating.”

Despite being held on remand for 53 days awaiting trial, Judge Fanning expressed concern that a custodial sentence would not effectively address Beal’s fixation on children. He emphasized that Beal’s behavior posed a significant risk and ordered a comprehensive report before sentencing. The judge also made it clear that Beal would not be released without a thorough risk assessment, citing his ongoing concerns about public safety. Beal was remanded into custody and scheduled for sentencing on September 26, with the court considering a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order to prevent further offenses.

These incidents underscore the serious nature of Beal’s offenses and the ongoing efforts of law enforcement and judicial authorities to monitor and restrict his activities, aiming to protect the community from potential harm.