A football coach has pleaded guilty to a string of sexual offences against children and could face dozens more charges.

Jonathan Clarke, 31, of Highview Close, Blofield, was arrested on January 6 after police received information about a social media account.

Appearing at Norwich Crown Court on Tuesday (February 15) he pleaded guilty to seven charges including inciting a 12-year-old girl to remove her clothes on a video call and encouraging another girl aged 11 to indulge in sexual activity.

He also admitted sexual communications with children aged 12 and 11 and making 36 category A, 12 category B and 117 category C indecent images and videos of children.

The offences relate to incidents between October 2020 and January 2022.

Judge Anthony Bate told the court the police investigation remains on-going with further charges expected.

Asked whether he could give an indication of the scale of further charges, senior investigating officer Dave McCormack said: “We have now completed our review of the digital devices, apart from three, and we are at a stage where we are working on around 250 children to identify.”

He said it would “probably be some weeks” before officers would be in a position to reveal the full number of charges that Clarke will ultimately face.

Clarke appeared before Norwich Magistrates Court on February 11 to face two further charges of inciting a 10-year-old girl to engage in sexual activity and blackmailing the same girl into sending him images.

Michael Clare, mitigating, said: “I can say that he does intend to plead guilty, subject to checking there are no mistakes, to the charges that he is yet to face.

“That is cards on the table from him and it might help the victims in this case and their parents if I say that.

“I hope that your honour can gather from the tone of what I am saying that this is a defendant seeking to make a clean breast of it and be as helpful as possible.”

Clarke was remanded in custody pending a further hearing later this month.

Police and the NSPCC have set up a free helpline to support children and their families affected by the investigation.

Anyone with concerns or would like support can speak to a trained counsellor on 0800 389 5347.