AN ex-BBC producer condemned as a “dangerous” paedophile tried to con a private school’s headteacher into allowing him to film schoolgirls at a Christmas concert.

Serial sex offender Peter Croasdale attempted to “hoodwink” Monmouth’s Haberdashers’ to allow him to record a carol service.

The 58-year-old gave the school a bogus name and tried to charge the then head Jennifer Phillips £450 to film a performance.

Croasdale was jailed for more than four years in 2009 for sexually abusing a young girl, taking an indecent photograph of a child, voyeurism and possessing indecent photographs of children.

The Bolton News: JAILED: Peter Croasdale

When police arrested the ex-Radio 4 producer for his recent crimes in Monmouthshire, they caught him with disturbing child abuse images on his computer.

Prosecutor Claire Pickthall told Cardiff Crown Court how Croasdale had been negotiating a business deal with the school after posing as a ‘Peter Alan’.

She said: “They were hoodwinked by this man who is intelligent. He deliberately hid his identity.”

But his deception was soon uncovered and the police were called.

He pleaded guilty to fraud, possessing indecent images of children and possessing extreme pornography involving bestiality.

There were 15 category A indecent images of a child, which portray rape, 28 at category B and 63 at category C on his computer.

The offences were committed between January 16, 2016 and January 15, 2021.

Tom Roberts, mitigating, said there was a prospect his client could be rehabilitated.

Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke told Croasdale: “You simply don’t want to face up to the risks you pose to children.”

She classed him as a dangerous offender and sentenced him to an extended sentence of four years.

Croasdale, now of Woodgate Street, Bolton, will have to serve two years in jail and an extended licence period of two years following his release.

He was handed a suspended prison sentence in March after he was caught leading a secret life in Gwent.

A court heard previously he had left his home in the North of England to move in with teacher Lesley Bagshaw in Monmouth.

As a result of his 2009 conviction, Croasdale must register as a sex offender and be the subject of a sexual offences prevention order for life.

Mr Fryer said he was in breach of both and started living with Ms Bagshaw last year although he had first began staying with her in 2017.

He told the court: “It was a calculated and deliberate breach. He was living a double life unknown to the police.

“On January 15 this year, officers went to an address in Monmouth where they found the defendant living under the alias of Peter Alan.

“Lesley Bagshaw’s home was searched. She had known the defendant since sixth form.”

Croasdale pleaded guilty to being in breach of both orders.

The judge then, Recorder Simon Mills, jailed the defendant for 18 months, suspended for two years.

He was ordered to complete a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement and made the subject of a three-month curfew.

Judge Lloyd-Clarke demanded an explanation from the prosecution as to why the matters were not dealt with together.