By Tim Parsons-
A football coach who has admitted a string of child sex offences is the focus of a “substantial” investigation into other possible crimes involving “hundreds of children”, a court has heard.
Jonathan Clarke, 31 – a former employee as a coach at Thorpe St Andrew and Lingwood Primary School, as well as at Blofield United Youth Football Club , disgraced himself after details of his sexual investigation were detailed at Norwich Crown Court on Tuesday, where Clarke admitted further offences.
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Clarke has previously pleaded guilty to seven charges, inciting a 12-year-old girl to remove her clothes on a video call, sexual communications with children aged 12 and 11, and making 36 category A, 12 category B and 117 category C indecent images and videos of children.
The offences took place between December 2019 and January 2022 and to have taken place online.
Clarke from Norfolk appeared via videolink from Norwich Prison and admitted two further offences, attempting to incite a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity and blackmail, both of which are said to have happened on October 25, 2020.
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The court heard a “substantial” police investigation was also being conducted into other offences alleged to have been committed by Clarke with an “international dimension” thought to involve “hundreds of children”.
Judge Anthony Bate adjourned sentence for the offences Clarke had already admitted to a date to be fixed to allow investigations into the other matters to take place.
The judge said this should take place in a “reasonable time”.
Marc Brown appeared for the prosecution and Michael Clare represented Clarke.
Police have confirmed that some of his offences are connected with his role at Lingwood Primary School where he was employed by Soccer Stars.
He also worked at Thorpe St Andrew High School and as a coach with Blofield United Youth Football Club, and enquiries are continuing to determine if his offending is linked to these roles, which he has been suspended from.
Police and the NSPCC have set up a free helpline to support children and their families affected by the investigation.
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