The Bermuda Broadcasting Company (BBC) was yesterday fined $6,000 for naming two accused sex offenders.BBC CEO Rick Richardson pleaded guilty in Magistrates’ Court to two counts of unlawfully identifying persons accused of sexual offences.It is an offence to do so under the law, unless the person who is accused is convicted or pleads guilty. The offence carries a maximum $5,000 fine.Crown counsel Cindy Clarke said the first incident occurred on November 9.A man appeared in Magistrates’ Court on that date to face several charges, including sexual assault.Later that day, the suspect’s lawyer heard his client named in connection to the sexual assault charge on BBC radio station Power 95 by reporter Tari Trott.The second incident occurred on March 30.Ms Clarke said BBC reporter Tauria Raynor named a cruise ship worker who had been acquitted of a sexual offence following a Magistrates’ Court trial.The Crown offered no evidence on a third charge concerning the re-broadcast of the November 9 story on ZBM News.Mr Richardson apologised for the error on his company’s behalf.BBC lawyer Mark Pettingill described the incidents as mistakes.He said that the company and the reporters accepted full responsibility for the errors and were “deeply regretful”.He acknowledged that this type of offence had occurred in the past but with “very, very seldom occurrence”.Mr Pettingill said that once the error had been identified, it was removed from future broadcasts.Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner said: “That is the danger of not only defamation, but the technology by which it’s carried. Once it happens, it cannot be taken back. Once it is broadcast, it is broadcast.”He said that in a small community such as Bermuda, the news media wields a great power and responsibility, and must be careful with what they report.Mr Warner fined the company a total of $6,000 for the two offences, taking into account the admission of guilt.