A PERVERT with a history of offences against young girls tried to befriend two teenagers, despite being banned from being alone with children, a court was told.

Walter Steele, 60, has now been remanded in custody by magistrates after admitting seven breaches of a sexual offences prevention order (SOPO).

The court ruled that their powers of punishment - up to 12 months in prison - were not enough and remanded Steele to the Crown Court for sentence.

The court heard that Steele, of Rockliffe Street, Blackburn, had been put on the Sex Offenders Register in 1996 after being convicted of 11 charges of gross indecency and indecent assault on a young girl.

Peter Wild, prosecuting, said Steele was jailed for 42 months but on his release continued to have contact with teenage girls.

On one occasion he breached his registration order by not informing the police of his address but matters came to a head in October 2003.

Mr Wild said police officers found Steele in a car in a secluded part of Witton Park with two 14-year-old girls.

"It was clear that over a period of time prior to that incident the defendant had been having regular contact with one of the girls," said Mr Wild.

"He was warned by the police to stay away from teenage children."

Mr Wild said Steele ignored the warning and in September of last year a complaint was received about him loitering outside Darwen Vale High School, beckoning young girls to his car.

As a result the Chief Constable applied for an interim SOPO which was granted on October 10.

The order banned Steele from associating with any child under 16 unless supervised by a responsible adult approved by Social Services.

He was also banned from entering any schools, parks or playgrounds or from loitering near any schools.

The breaches which Steele admitted related to associating with two 15-year-old girls who cannot be named for legal reasons.

Mr Wild said that Steele had offered one of the girls a lift home and when she said she shouldn't be talking to him, he said, 'Who's watching?'

The girl continued to see Steele on a regular basis at a friend's house but always in the presence of other adults.

She told police she wouldn't like to be alone with him because he "gives me the creeps".

Mr Wild said the magistrates had to decide whether Steele was confused about the terms of the order and just happened to come into contact with the girls and offer them lifts.

"Or do you have a defendant who has systematically breached the order of the court?" said Mr Wild.

"I would suggest these are flagrant breaches and you have to ask yourselves whether these constitute grooming."

Kevin Preston, defending, said Steele had pleaded not guilty to the charges in 1996 and still maintained his innocence.

"If there was any suggestion of grooming, my client would have been charged with a separate offence," said Mr Preston.

"He has not been convicted of any other offence since his release from prison."