A SERIAL sex offender spotted loitering next to a school playground has been jailed for six months.

Richard Ling, 56, was spotted by two council staff working in Pickers Ditch nature reserve, Clacton, Chelmsford Crown Court heard.

Ling tried to hide his face when he realised he had been spotted looking at children on the playing field at Great Clacton Junior School, on April 28.

He was arrested within ten minute and told police he had been looking for goldfish in the stream.

Ling, of Edith Road, Clacton, admitted breaching a sexual offences prevention order imposed by Chelmsford magistrates on August 14, 2006.

Judge Peter Fenn said the order was imposed to protect young children. He added the pupils had been unaware Ling was watching them. He had not exposed himself.

The judge said as well as being subject to the sexual offences prevention order, Ling had several convictions related to young children – three for indecent exposure from 1972, one of gross indecency with a boy under 16 in 2004, one of sexual activity in the presence of a girl under 13, committed on March 7 last year.

He had been jailed for 18 months for the latter offence.

Following his arrest, Ling had already been recalled to prison to serve the remaining nine months of the 18 month sentence.

Nicola May, prosecuting, said Ling was spotted in undergrowth 15 yards from the school playing field.

His lawyer, Daniel Howell, , said Ling had once held a highly skilled job in the optical field, but was unemployed at the time of the offence.

He had gone job hunting on and industrial estate near the nature reserve. However, he accepted he should not have been near the school.