A MAN who befriended a woman over the internet had sex with her teenage daughter after travelling to the North-East, a court heard.

Kevin Clive Anthony Watson had sex with the 15-year-old girl several times after travelling to County Durham from his South Coast home last summer.

Fifty-year-old Watson, from East Sussex, admitted charges stemming from his liaison with the girl during his first appearance at Durham Crown Court.

The judge told him that it is inevitable he will be jailed when he returns for sentence next month.

Watson first appeared before North Durham magistrates, sitting in Consett, earlier this month. The case was committed to crown court.

He denied three counts, but admitted five others, all involving intentional sexual activity with the girl contrary to the Sexual Offences Act of 2003.

All the charges relate to activity on dates between August 16 and September 4 last year.

Paul Lee, prosecuting, said the pleas were “acceptable”

to the Crown, and there was no need to pursue the three charges denied.

Ian West, representing Watson, asked for the preparation of background reports by the Probation Service before sentencing.

Judge Christopher Prince adjourned the case for four weeks, bailing Watson to live in Old Harrow Road, St Leonards on Sea.

His bail terms include regularly reporting to a local police station and forbid him from contacting the girl or her mother, or from entering County Durham except to attend future court hearings or a pre-arranged appointment with a solicitor.

Watson was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register.

How long he must continue to sign the register will be determined at the next hearing.

Judge Prince warned Watson to expect an “inevitable” prison sentence on his return, on April 22.