A SERIAL charlatan who turned up to under-10s boys football games pretending to be a Celtic scout was told he will have to be honest for the next 18 months.

Anthony Adams, 27, previously pleaded guilty to fraudulently telling boys teams he was scouting for young players for the Glasgow giants – turning up at the Cumnock Juniors Football Ground for an under-10s game with a fake ID card purchased online on June 8, 2019.

He later struck again appearing at Bowencraig Recreation Ground in Largs on June 19, 2019, causing fear and alarm.

When he returned for sentencing this week [Monday, October 3] defence solicitor Sandy Currie told the court Adams was unfit for any unpaid work.

He said: “To be absolutely blunt I’m not entirely sure what his motivations were, but it was nothing prurient.

“I understand he saw an advert on the internet for this pass then believed he was doing nothing wrong. He accepts the way he conducted himself caused alarm.”

Sheriff Mhairi MacTaggart told Mr Currie: “I want to be sure Mr Adams is honest and forthright.”

She said: “Mr Adams this is a serious matter – I think you now accept what you have done is wrong. What I’m going to do is not to be viewed as a soft option – you are going to have to engage with supervising officer and back in front of me in a few months time.

That supervising officer will probably challenge you, but you will have to be honest.

“If you can demonstrate to me you are moving forward, getting help and addressing the issues and being honest I will consider whether I need to keep bringing you back or not”

Adams, of Ardrossan, was placed on a community payback order and under supervision for 18 months.

Adams, of Ardrossan, admitted conducting himself in a disorderly manner at a football festival for under-10s held at Cumnock Juniors Football Ground by falsely stating he represented the club with a fake ID.

He then approached the manager, James Craddock, of Largs Colts 2010 team displaying false identification.

Adams falsely stated to the manager that he was a scout for Celtic FC and that he was interested in four of his players.

He then asked that he provide a phone number and details of the team’s training.

Adams later attended Largs Bowencraig Recreation Ground approaching the players and telling them he would like to attend further sessions – causing fear and alarm and a breach of the peace.

Not guilty pleas to two further charges on the complaint of stealing North Ayrshire Council ID badges and clothing – after fraudulently pretending to be a regular employee and claiming he had lost his at Cunninghame House, Irvine – were accepted by prosecutors.

The chancer was previously dubbed a ‘Walter Mitty’ figure for failing to pay employees and ‘fleecing’ a Three Towns charity – with the Herald reporting the North Ayrshire Community Youth Work (NACYW) firm owner accused of abusing his position to leave volunteers and a charity out of pocket.

Tony Adams allegedly fleeced the Little Box of Distractions of almost £200. He is also accused of recruiting people for a medical response company, failing to pay employees or provide PGV (formerly disclosure) checks.

Christine Reid, a 17-year-old student from Stevenston, claims that she is owed up to £500 by Mr Adams’ company, National Event Medical Services Ltd, which dispatches first aiders following alerts from emergency response app, GoodSAM.