A REGISTERED sex offender who wormed his way into his local football club to get close to children has been told his three-year jail term was not a day too long.

Andrew Neil Gordon, who became involved with Crook Town in 2013, had previously been convicted of sexually assaulting an underage girl and taking/making indecent images of children in 2008.

The 42-year-old was jailed and made subject of a sexual offences prevention order (SOPO), banning him from working with or seeking the company of under-16s.

But Gordon, of West Springs, Crook, County Durham, showed a "flagrant disregard" for that order, London's Appeal Court heard today (Tuesday, March 17).

He gained a position of trust at the unwitting club and helped out with maintenance, sold merchandise, travelled on away trips, bringing him into contact with children, and was even nominated to join the club's committee.

In separate breaches, he also volunteered at the Chernobyl Children's Project charity shop in Crook and at a carnival.

Gordon was jailed for three years for breaching his SOPO at Durham Crown Court in September last year.

Judge Francis Gilbert QC, sitting with Lady Justice Macur and Mr Justice Cranston at London's Criminal Appeal Court, today (Tuesday, March 17) heard his plea for his sentence to be cut.

His lawyers argued that his breaches were not of the most serious kind and had not in fact put any children in danger.

It was also submitted that he had not deliberately tried to come into contact with children.

But Judge Gilbert criticised his "distorted sexual thinking".

"He has shown a flagrant disregard for the restrictions placed upon him by the court", he said.

"He is adept at entering into and manipulating situations to enable him to come into contact with children.

"He admits that he is still sexually attracted to young girls and chose not to engage with the sexual offenders programme. He is extremely resistant to change.

"The overall sentence of three years was not manifestly excessive," the judge concluded, dismissing the appeal.

Gordon was only rumbled when Crook Town's then chairman and former prison officer Gerald Hirst overheard him use prison slang while talking to a customer in the charity shop where he also volunteered.