A CONVICTED paedophile football referee has been trying to wheedle his way back into the county’s football scene and has succeeded at least once.

The man has been suspended indefinitely from refereeing after serving a jail sentence for a sex offence. But he turned up at Sevenoaks Football Club and ran the line at a men’s match.

There have also been reports that he refereed another soccer match in the county. When contacted at his home in Bromley he denied he was trying to return to refereeing.

Kent County Football Association chief executive Keith Masters said officials were aware the retired schoolteacher had been trying to return to football. He revealed: "He has been offering his services to leagues in other areas, especially the Brockley League."

Mr Masters said no action had been taken against the Sevenoaks club because they had made a genuine mistake in agreeing to allow the man to run the line. The man’s address and telephone number have been removed from official footballing publications.

Football officials are taking extra measures to protect children in football. From next year, all referees will be obliged to take a three-hour course in child protection, the Maidstone branch of the Kent Referees Association was told last Monday.