by Rachel Hovenden

A man who performed a sex act in a tree while watching youngsters in a park through a telescope has been banned from children’s play areas.

Police arrested pensioner Clive Miles-Bishop, 62, after a concerned member of the public spotted his suspicious behaviour near a children’s play area in Worcester Park, Steele Avenue, Greenhithe last March.

Miles-Bishop first told officers he was bird watching.

But PC Robert Melton, of North Kent Police, told Dartford Magistrates' Court Miles-Bishop then said he had performed two sex acts in the tree because he was attracted to those aged between 10 and 15.

Kent Police did not prosecute Miles-Bishop originally because of insufficient evidence.

But at Tuesday’s trial, magistrate Patricia Bosley said there was sufficient evidence for a Sexual Offences Prevention Order.

The 10-year order requires Miles-Bishop, of Mounts Road, Greenhithe, to not initiate conversation with any child under 16 years without the supervision of a parent or guardian except for business purposes.

He is not allowed within 50m of a children’s play area, school playground or sports field and will be on the sex offenders register for 10 years.