Jailed : Simon Rouen tried to arrange to abuse a woman while working at an Antarctic research base . A British scientist working in Antarctica tried to arrange to abuse an eight-year-old girl when he returned from the South Pole . Simon Rouen , 36 , was based at a polar research station when he spelt out his desire in emails to two undercover detectives in a police sting . He thought his messages were going to another paedophile . The eight-year-old girl did not exist . Police tracked him down and arrested him when he landed at Heathrow last year as he returned from working with the British Antarctic Survey . A search of his computer found scores of indecent images of children . Detective Constable Jo Gordon , of Kent Police , said : ‘ Throughout the course of the emails he sent , Simon Rouen demonstrated a very real desire to sexually abuse the child when he returned to England . ‘ Fortunately , we were able to identify the risk he posed to children and intercept him before any child could be abused. ’ Rouen was found guilty of arranging the facilitation of a child sex offence and ten counts of possessing indecent images of children . He was jailed for three years at Southwark Crown Court . The laboratory manager , of Redruth , Cornwall , was stationed at the Rothera Research Station , on Adelaide Island , which also serves as the capital of the British Antarctic Territory . The station has a maximum population of 130 in the summer falling to 22 in the winter . During his six months at the station he exchanged emails with officers from Kent Police ’ s paedophile online investigation team . Work : Rouen was based at the Rothera Research Station , where he was a highly skilled lab manager . Base : Rothera is the capital of the British Antarctic Territory and is a major centre of scientific research . His last message was sent from Chile as he flew back from Antarctica last March . His police mugshot shows him with the scraggly beard that he grew while he was working in Antarctica . Rouen will be subject to a sexual offences prevention order and will be placed on the sex offenders register . DC Gordon said : ‘ We will use all the techniques available to us to apprehend people who prey upon children online , and who use the internet as a tool to find children to sexually abuse or to view indecent images of children. ’ A spokesman for the British Antarctic Survey confirmed that Rouen previously worked for the company . She said : ‘ The matter has been dealt with by the courts and we do not wish to comment any further. ’ The BAS has been responsible for the majority of Britain ’ s scientific research on the Antarctic continent for the past 60 years .
Simon Rouen , 36 , worked as a lab manager for Heathrow . The scientist sent string of emails to undercover officers in a police sting . He thought they could arrange for him to abuse a girl but she did not exist . Rouen was arrested at the British Antarctic Survey and has now been jailed for three years .