Linesman 'groomed' teenager

Feb 20 2008

A CONVICTED sex offender "groomed" a boy of 14 after watching a youth football team in Solihull, a court heard.

Kevin Drinkwater even acted as a linesman during matches despite being banned from working with children as a result of a previous conviction for indecent assault.

Now Drinkwater, 50, of Tenbury Close, Redditch, has been told to prepare for a jail sentence after admitting meeting or communicating with the boy intending to commit a sexual offence.

Warwick Crown Court heard he came into contact with the teenager after he started watching a youth football team in the Solihull area.

At the time, Drinkwater was subject to an order barring him from working with children, and concern was raised after he began to play a role as a linesman.

John Attwood, defending, said Drinkwater's friendship with the boy was "entirely proper and lawful when it began".

"He was entitled to go to football matches involving young people," Mr Attwood said. "It only became something improper when it developed a somewhat different motive later."

He asked Judge Christopher Hodson to delay sentencing Drinkwater to allow a report on him to be prepared.

Drinkwater was bailed but ordered to live at his home address, not to contact the boy or any of his family, to report to Redditch police station three times a week and to surrender his passport.

He was also ordered to register as a sex offender and banned from attending any junior football matches or training sessions and from associating with any under-18s in a paid or unpaid context.