THE former head of grass roots football in Hampshire committed sex offences against children stretching back as far as the 1960s, a court heard.

Ray Barnes, who was head of Hampshire Football Association, faces allegations that he indecently assaulted three boys on several occasions between 1964 and 1983, after he took them to football matches.

Two of the alleged victims came forward after reading about charges laid against Barnes in the Daily Echo, Bournemouth Crown Court heard.

Don Tait, prosecuting, told how they claimed that Barnes, a magistrate for more than 20 years, had befriended them through their interest in football.

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The 74-year-old father-of-four, of Grateley Close, Weston, Southampton, denies five counts of indecent assault against a 14-yearold boy in 1973, one count of indecent assault against an 11-year-old boy between 1964 and 1965 and one count of indecent assault against a 16-year-old boy in 1983.

He says in interview that he does not even recall knowing the 11-year-old and the 16-year-old, the court heard.

The trial heard from a man, who was 14 at the time of the alleged offences, who said that he had gone to several football matches with Barnes including Shrewsbury, Chelsea and on the Isle of Wight.

He said that on the train journey back from Shrewsbury, Barnes had touched him inappropriately under cover of a football magazine on his lap.

That evening he said he had woken up while in Barnes’ flat in Northam to find Barnes indecently assaulting him. Barnes had told him not to be afraid and not to worry about anything, the court was told.

The same thing happened on two other occasions and once Barnes had asked the boy to touch him inappropriately, which the youngster had refused to do, the court heard.

He said that after this he was never invited to a football match again.

Charles Gabb, defending, said that Barnes did remember going to three games with the then 14-year-old, but that they were at different grounds. Mr Gabb also said that the defendant claimed the alleged victim had been caught stealing while in the house and was told he was no longer welcome. The alleged victim said he had no recollection of that.

Another alleged victim, who was 11 at the time, said that he had met Barnes while playing football close to the Bridge Tavern pub, in Coxford, where he said Barnes had worked.

After several meetings, including a driving lesson, where nothing happened, and a Saints reserve game at The Dell, he went to a flat where they discussed art and Barnes asked the boy to undress so he could draw him. He claims that Barnes approached him when he was naked and indecently assaulted him.

He said that he had never confronted Barnes or spoken about it to anyone but his wife because “no one would have believed my word against him then”.

Proceeding.