STATE broadcaster RTÉ have said they have suspended a senior producer after he was charged over plans to engage in sexual activity with a child.
Irishman Kieran Creaven, 54 from Dublin, appeared in court in Leeds earlier today charged with two offences in relation to attempting to engage in sexual activity with a 13-year-old girl.
The broadcaster confirmed in a statement that Mr Creaven is suspended until further notice.
Kieran Creaven, whose address cannot be published by order of the court, was arrested in Leeds on Saturday November 18.
The senior television producer in the RTÉ sports department was arrested at around 5pm that evening after he was confronted by a group which set up an online profile claiming to be the 13-year-old girl.
The confrontation was streamed live on Facebook on Saturday and showed Kieran Creaven, identifying himself with a fake name, rejecting the accusation that he arranged to have sex with a child.
Tickets to a Leeds United match, which Creaven arranged to take the girl to, were found by the group on his person.
He is also alleged to have booked a hotel to have sex with the youngster on Saturday night before flying home to Dublin on Monday.
According to RTÉ, Creaven is accused of attempting to meet a 13-year-old girl at The Queens hotel in Leeds, on one or more occasions between July 17 and November 18 this year, following grooming.
He is also accused that between the same dates he attempted to incite a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity.
The Crown Prosecution Service objected to bail given Mr Creaven's address is in Dublin and not Leeds, however, it was granted under strict conditions.
Under the terms of his bail, he must reside at an address in Ireland given in court and he is not allowed to have any unsupervised contact with children under 16.
Mr Creaven was also told he must comply with any request from British police to supply any device that may have access to the internet.
He has been directed to appear at Leeds Crown Court on December 18, or face arrest.
