A convicted predator who fled to Mexico while awaiting sentence for grooming a child has been locked up.
Self-styled lifestyle guru Roderick Beaumont, 65, was previously convicted of a historic attack on a child while working as a teacher.
Beaumont, formerly of Dundee’s Methven Walk, was allowed to fly from Edinburgh Airport to Albania while carrying 9,000 euros on December 3 2016 – two days before he was due to be sentenced at Airdrie Sheriff Court for the grooming offence.
The creep was eventually snared by police in March 2019 in Mexico where he had married a woman and was working as a life coach specialising in “youth impact coaching”.
Registered sex offender Beaumont was sentenced to 12 months in prison at Dundee Sheriff Court after he admitted failing to tell police about his travel plans.
Fiscal depute Marie Irvine revealed how border police were notified by security staff at Edinburgh Airport about Beaumont carrying the 9,000 euros.
She said: “Officers stopped and interviewed the accused and he stated that he was travelling to Amsterdam, onwards to Rome and then onto his final destination to Tirana in Albania.
“He was travelling alone and stated he had a return ticket with a return date of December 12 2016.
“When questioned about the cash, the accused stated he was using it to research and make a down payment for an apartment for him and his mother to ultimately move to.
“He appeared to be travelling with minimal luggage and his story appeared consistent with the way he presented and gave no additional cause for concern at that time.”
Enquiries were made and it was revealed that Beaumont was a registered sex offender but his journey was not prevented.
However, it was revealed that Beaumont had breached the terms of his registration after police in Dundee said he had not notified them of his travel plans.
Beaumont, a qualified pilot, failed to return to the UK and the National Crime Agency later found Beaumont in Mexico on March 11 2019. He was deported in December 2020.
Appearing via video link from HMP Barlinnie, Beaumont admitted failing to notify the police of his travel plans between November 22 and December 3 2016.
In October 2016, Beaumont admitted at Airdrie Sheriff Court to sending sexual messages to a child.
While on the run, a judge at Warwick Crown Court branded Beaumont a “clear and present danger to children” after he was found guilty of sexually attacking a child between 1979 and 1981.
Beaumont was sentenced to four years in prison in his absence and placed on the sex offender’s register for life.
Defence solicitor Philip Cohen told Sheriff Alastair Carmichael: “He accepts the breach is at the higher end of these type of offences.
“He clearly knew what he was doing. He’s not trying to avoid any culpability in relation to that.
“His intention is at some point to return to Mexico.”
Sheriff Carmichael jailed Beaumont for 12 months which was backdated to December 10 2020.
