Former Scoutmaster jailed again for breaching Sexual Harm Prevention Order

A former Scoutmaster who was previously jailed for abusing young boys has been sentenced to a further three years in prison after contacting children and owning secret devices.

Ian Beeby, 71, was also found with indecent images of children when police searched his home.

Beeby’s offending dates back to the Eighties, but the National Probation Service raised the latest concerns about the pensioner in July when he was spotted speaking to boys in Manchester city centre, breaching the terms of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

Previous convictions

Beeby was jailed for five years in March 2016 after admitting offences against four Cub Scouts in the Eighties, including one assault during a Lake District camping trip.

The following year, his sentence was extended by two years and eight months when another victim came forward after reading about his conviction in The Bolton News. Beeby admitted further offences, including sexual assault and downloading indecent images of children.

Breaches of court order

On his release from prison, Beeby was made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order requiring him to declare all devices capable of internet access.

During routine checks, Greater Manchester Police’s Sex Offender Management Unit (SOMU) discovered Beeby had failed to disclose a laptop, a SanDisk USB storage device, and a Raspberry Pi minicomputer. The latter was found connected to his home internet router. When handing the device over, Beeby concealed its SD card in his pocket and disposed of it, Victoria Lewis, prosecuting, told Bolton Crown Court.

Investigators also recovered indecent images from a storage device linked to Beeby. He claimed the material had been downloaded before his earlier sentence and deleted once discovered, but the court was told he had failed to report the images as required.

SOMU also confirmed he had spoken to boys who were filming for a YouTube channel in Manchester this summer after spotting him in a video posted online by the children’s family.

Court outcome

Judge Neil Usher, who had previously given Beeby a suspended sentence in October 2024 in the hope that structured accommodation might reduce his risk of reoffending, told him the breaches were too serious to overlook.

Beeby was sentenced to three years in prison.

Safeguarding context

Greater Manchester Police said the case demonstrated the importance of robust offender management.

A spokesperson for SOMU said: “Child protection is our utmost priority, and I hope the action taken in this case serves as a warning to others who think they can get away with breaching their restrictions that you can’t.”

The force added that new monitoring measures, including live-time updates for offender managers, have strengthened its ability to intervene quickly when concerns arise, reducing risks to the community.

How we can help

At Bolt Burdon Kemp, we know cases like this are more than headlines. Taking the next step after abuse can feel overwhelming, but you do not have to face it alone.

Our team offers:

• A safe, confidential space to talk about what happened at your pace, on your terms.
• Clear guidance on legal options, including potential claims for compensation or action against institutions that failed in their safeguarding duties.

If you or someone you know has been affected by abuse in a Scout setting, you can contact Abbie Hickson of Bolt Burdon Kemp for free and confidential advice.