CONVICTED paedophile from Crewe has been banned from being alone with any children under the age of 16.

Brian North, 51, of Alexandra Place, appeared at South Cheshire Magistrates Court on Friday accused of breaking the conditions of the National Sex Offenders register.

The court was told he was placed on the register in 2000 after serving half of a six-year prison sentence for indecent assault, and is required to inform police of any contact with children.

But Siôn ap Mihangel, prosecuting, said North confessed earlier this year to being in regular contact with a family in Crewe, referred to as 'Family 'M'', for more than two years.

All three of the family's children made allegations of repeated serious sexual assaults against him.

Mr Mihangel told the court that North has a string of convictions for indecency against children stretching back more than 20 years.

He accused the defendant of systematically preying on vulnerable families with young children.

PC Louise Wynne, a former sex offender liaison officer and child protection officer based at Crewe, testified that Family 'M' represented typical targets for North.

She said: 'He usually targets the children and will then seek a relationship with the mother to gain access to them. In my assessment, he is a high-risk offender.' In handing out the banning order, Deputy District Judge David Gostling said: 'I find the respondent to have behaved in a predatory way over a lengthy period of time. His concealment of contact with children must give real suspicions that he was grooming them for abuse.'

Under the terms of the ban, North cannot work with, or engage in any other organised activity involving children under the age of 16, and may only have contact with a minor where a responsible adult is present after seeking written permission from the police.

He is also banned from initiating any contact with a child and cannot stay overnight at any house where a child is staying. Failure to stick to any of the terms could lead to a prison sentence.