Eamonn Goodfellow will be on sex offenders register for life

Comedian Eamonn Goodfellow, who paid to watch children be abused online, has been jailed for four years and nine months 

The 50-year-old, originally from Lurgan in Northern Ireland but now living in St Albans, Hertfordshire, was convicted  in April  of two counts of attempting to cause the sexual exploitation of a child under 13and has now appeared for sentencing.

Goodfellow as arrested by National Crime Agency officers in June 2018 and all of his electronic devices seized for analysis.

The NCA says a number of chat logs were recovered which ‘showed Goodfellow discussing the abuse of children with facilitators, one of whom was based in the Philippines and the other in Romania.’

In a statement issued today, they added: ‘In the chats, Goodfellow was shown to be actively seeking children under 13 years old. When a child at the right age was identified, he would direct the facilitators to perform certain sexual acts on the children with a view to live-streaming the offending.

‘Evidence showed that he sent payment to the facilitators to carry out the abuse. He was found guilty of two counts of attempting to cause the sexual exploitation of a child under 13 at St Albans Crown Court on 12 April following a six day trial.’

Goodfellow is also subject to a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will remain on the sex offenders register for life.

Martin Ludlow from the agency added: ‘Goodfellow made it very clear that he has sexual interest in young children in these chat logs. He attempted to arrange for the most horrific abuse of vulnerable children thousands of miles away from him for his own gratification. He was helped by facilitators whose motive is to make money.’

Goodfellow’s stage act included jokes about paedophilia and Moors murderers Myra Hindley and Ian Brady – while his 2018 show at the Edinburgh Fringe was entitled Humour Trafficking, and claimed he was so funny ‘it’s illegal’. He was a finalist in the 2019 Naty (New Act Of The Year) competition, and he worked for National Lottery operator Camelot as a day job until his crimes came to light.

Published: 30 Jun 2022