A PERVERTED former karting boss has admitted a series of sickening child sex offences, including some committed at Rowrah in west Cumbria.

Andrew Fairley, 58, who spent years overseeing children’s karting activities at racing venues across the UK, has now admitted seven offences, including serious sexual assaults and sexual grooming.

One victim was aged just 12.

Though the full details have yet to be outlined in court, it has been confirmed that Fairley was able to continue organising children’s karting trips - and abusing boys -  despite being convicted of a child sex offence in 1996.

He had admitted indecently assaulting a boy aged between 10 and 14 in Edinburgh where he was living. Yet for years afterwards, he supervised children’s karting trips to racing venues across the country, including to Rowrah.

The racing track there has long been a popular karting venue. Fairley initially admitted the following offences:

* Causing a child to look at an image of sexual activity.

* For his own sexual gratification, sexually communicating with a child, discussing sexual issues with that child.

* Engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

* Sexually touching a child.

* A second sexual touching of a child offence.

At Carlisle Crown Court, Fairley yesterday admitted two further offences: causing a child aged under 13 to engage in sexual activity and a serious sexual assault. Some offences date back as far as 2006.

Once the guilty pleas were entered, Judge Nicholas Barker remanded the defendant in custody and set the sentencing date as July 1. After the hearing, the sister of one child victim said: “This has been devastating for our family.

“We reported these crimes more than four years ago and that was just the start of it. The whole legal process has been difficult and traumatic, and it’s affected everybody. We’re pleased Fairley is now locked up.”

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She said her she hoped that her brother may at last be able to begin the process of moving on with his life and reparing the profound damage he suffered when the case has been concluded and Fairley sentenced.

The case also raised serious concerns about the protection of children who want to take part in such sports, she added.

At an earlier hearing, Fairley’s defence lawyer said he believed the child who was the victim in the Cumbrian offences was older than 13 at the time but in court the defendant admitted that offence.

Fairley’s name is now on the Sex Offender Register.

The defendant’s 1996 conviction came to light when the sister of the west Cumbria abuse victim discovered High Court papers outlining a compensation claim from the boy Fairley abused in Edinburgh.

Despite that offence, Fairley, recently living at Haddington, East Lothian, went on to run the Clan Racing club, at Larkhall, South Lanarkshire, for more than two decades. Karting is seen as an “entry-level’ sport for would-be Formula One drivers.

Clan Racing ceased operating after the police investigation began in December 2017. Fairley separated from his wife and moved to East Lothian.

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