A man made sexual advances towards a nine-year-old boy he had been teaching how to dive at an Amersham leisure centre, a court heard today.

Robin Bowman tried to take photos of the boy by putting a camera underneath the door of a cubicle in the changing rooms at the Chiltern Pools leisure centre on Saturday, May 16.

He then made advances towards the boy, who ran away and raised the alarm with leisure centre staff, Amersham Crown Court heard.

Jonathan Stone, prosecuting, said the boy was swimming with a friend and they were teaching each other how to dive. Bowman asked if he could help and the boys accepted his offer.

Mr Stone said 63-year-old Bowman, of Trevor Gardens, Ruislip, then followed them into the changing cubicles when they had finished swimming.

He told the court: “[The boy] looked down and saw a camera poking out from underneath the changing room door. He said words to the effect of, ‘What are you going to do with that?’ The defendant said, ‘I don’t know yet’.

“The defendant asked the boy to show him his willy, which he did, very briefly. It’s said the defendant said the words, ‘Can I lick your willy?’ [The boy] said no, got his bag and ran from the changing room and went to get assistance from his friend’s mother.

“The staff at the pool were alerted. The manager followed the defendant outside and brought him back in.”

Bowman pleaded guilty to causing or inciting a male under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity and to voyeurism during this morning’s hearing.

Judge Francis Sheridan ordered for Bowman to be placed onto the Sex Offenders’ Register with immediate effect, ahead of a sentencing hearing on June 29.

He granted the defendant bail, which includes conditions he does not go to a swimming pool or sports hall and does not have unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 16.

Judge Sheridan also praised Carl Knight, the manager on duty at the Chiltern Pools at the time of the incident, for his swift actions.

He said: “He is to be commended – that is why they employ responsible managers. He has acted as anyone would expect a manager to.”