A DANGEROUS sex offender who was deemed a “very high risk” has been jailed after disguising himself as a performer to play with kids at a party.

Nathan Kozel, 26, spun plates and did “circus tricks” during a National Play Day event in Queen's Gardens in Hull on August 1.

Police officers arrested the pervert after parents raised concerns about his activities.

Kozel was dressed in a long black coat, goggles and gloves.

Prosecutor Rukhshanda Hussain told Hull Crown Court: “The area the defendant was in had about 20 children under 16 in it, with some adults present.

“He was engaging with them, spinning diablo plates, showing children how to use them.

“He was dressed in a way which suggested he was an employee of the event - goggles, a black outfit, long black coat and black gloves.”

Kozel, who is banned indefinitely from having unsupervised contact with kids, said he was “there to make friends” and to “interact with children”.

He said he “knew it was wrong” but “found himself engrossed”.

When he was arrested, Kozel told police there was material on his phone that "may be of interest to them".

But although the handset was seized it was not examined until after police later confiscated his tablet computer on January 10 this year.

On the devices, police found a total of 10 images at category A - the most serious - two at category B, and 631 category C images.

Kozel, of HMP Hull, admitted breaching a SHPO and suspended sentence as well as making indecent photographs of children.

Steven Garth, defending, invited Kozel's dad to give evidence and he said his son behaves like a child and needs to be told when to wash.

Mr Garth said: "What is undoubtedly clear from all the documentation is this defendant has a serious and deep-seated weakness, namely an attraction to young boys, or at least their photographs.

"He is angry with himself for having this weakness but he just can't stop himself."

Jailing Kozel for two years, recorder Patrick Palmer told him: "Whilst I have every sympathy for you and your difficulties, I have to protect children from your offending."

In 2016, Kozel was sentenced to a two-year community order and handed a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) indefinitely after using his dad’s computer to download indecent images.

He breached the order on August 25 last year after he was caught playing football with an eight-year-old boy in a park.

Kozel was given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, when he was sentenced for that offence in January this year.

He was described in the hearing as a “very high risk sex offender”.