A CHILD sex offender was arrested at Manchester Airport as he returned from four months in Thailand, a court was told.

Alan Smith, who used to be Accrington Stanley’s mascot Stan the Monkey, was held after changing his name without telling police and heading to Thailand, breaching the Sex Offenders’ Register, Blackburn magistrates heard.

Smith, 54, who now uses the surname Anumm after changing his name by deed poll, was arrested as he returned to the UK on a flight from the South East Asian country, the court was told.

Anumm, of Bolton Road, Blackburn, and formerly of Carter Street, Accrington, pleaded guilty to breaching the Sex Offenders Register after he admitted that he did not tell police that he had changed his name.

At Blackburn Magistrates’ Cou-rt, he denied a charge of failing to notify police seven days in advance of his plans to travel to Thailand in November.

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said that Anumm flew to Thailand on November 28 last year and was arrested when he returned to Manchester Airport on February 28.

Anumm was directed to Preston Crown Court for trial on the failing to notify allegation and will be sentenced for the first offence on the conclusion of the trial.

Magistrates heard Anumm changed his name in May last year, months before his trip to Thailand.

Anumm was convicted of indec-ently assaulting a 14-year-old girl in 2005.

He was jailed for six months and placed on the Sex Offenders Reg-ister for seven years. People on the register are required to alert the police of any changes to their circumstances and any plans to leave the country.

In December 2006 he was arrested and deported from Thail-and after it was discovered that he was working in Bangkok as a teacher.

His deportation meant that he was forced to leave behind his Thai wife Pach, 26.

Anumm was Stanley’s mascot before his conviction and dressed up like a monkey prior to matches to entertain fans.

Following his conviction in 2005 he was sacked by bosses at the club and banned from attending matches.