A pastoral support worker at a Walmer college tried to sexually groom a young boy...with texts about socks, it has been alleged.

Mark Levett – who denies the offence – was said to have sent messages to the troubled youngster who he had met at the science college.

But the 50-year-old, from Water Street, Deal had a secret foot fetish, it was claimed at Canterbury Crown Court.

Levett was previously a senior official with the Department of Health, involved in selling health equipment abroad, the court heard.

Among the texts he was said to have sent to his alleged victim were: “Oh dear, Well if you don’t mind I will dream of soothing you after a day’s work with a cuddle and some kissing and rubbing of tired toes. Is that OK?”

“Nice coffee in the sun....day dreaming of your socks just now actually...xxxxxxx”

Levett, who was a member of the "skills force” at Walmer Science College, also sent the teenager messages on Whatsapp and Facebook.

They included: “Goodnight handsum (sic), quiet from you today. Hope all is well. Think of me when the shoes come off..home tomorrow!xxxxxx”

And: “please can I have a pic sent to me...Still dreaming of having your socks and feet on my face but I think you’re not keen on that? Xxxxxxxx”

Prosecutor Simon Taylor told the jury at Canterbury Crown Court that after a complaint was made to police, officers seized Levett’s mobile phone and computer.

He claimed: “Based upon the material found on these devices’ hard drives, the police established that the defendant has a foot fetish.

“His particular interest is the feet of teenage boys with their socks on.”

The jury heard how he had allegedly searched for images using Internet search terms including “cute teen feet”, “Teenfeet1993”, “My teen boy feet” and “teen boy feet in trainers”.

Mr Taylor said Levett’s role at the school’s skills force had been to assist pupils in settling in.

“Unfortunately, it seems that the defendant’s involvement with this boy went beyond the mere professional in that when he was aged 13 to 15, the defendant began to groom him.

“By grooming, the Crown alleges he communicated with him and met him with a view to developing their relationship as a platform for sexual relations which was unlawful because of the boy’s age.

“Nice coffee in the sun....day dreaming of your socks just now actually...xxxxxxx” - text allegedly sent by Levett

After getting his mobile number he is alleged to have begun sending late-night texts referring to him as “baby” and the texts punctuated with kisses.

“He would say he loved him and would start texts with the phrase: ‘Morning handsome’ and would make reference to the boy’s feet, “ he claimed.

The prosecutor said police also discovered Levett had been living with someone who he had falsely claimed was a grandson.

The man – described to the jury as ‘The Lodger’ – also received texts from Levett in which he described carrying out a sex act over a pair of shoes.

The prosecutor added: “It follows that the content of the text messages between the defendant and the lodger are highly probative on the key issue of what the defendant’s ultimate intentions were in relation to the teenager.

“Unlike what appears to have happened with his lodger, it is not the Crown’s case that anything sexual happened between the teenager and the defendant but it is the Crown’s case that the defendant intended sexual relations to take place, “ he said.

The trial continues.