Referee who admitted child sex offences called victim ‘little girl’, court hears

An English Football League assistant referee who admitted a string of child sex offences involving teenagers called one of his victims a “little girl”, a court has heard.

Gareth Viccars, 47, of Shackleton Place, Oldbrook, Milton Keynes, previously pleaded guilty to 16 counts, including sexual communications with a child, meeting with a child following sexual grooming, causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and engaging in sexual activity with a child.

The offences spanned three years between November 2021 and October 2024 and involved three girls aged 15, Snaresbrook Crown Court previously heard.

Viccars was an assistant referee at the time of offending and the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), the organisation responsible for managing all Premier League and EFL matches across England, said he was suspended “as soon as the allegations came to light”.

He was not considered for appointments after his initial suspension and the PGMO has since removed him from the organisation’s list, it is understood.

Opening the case on Thursday, prosecutor Charlotte Newell KC said Viccars had met his victims online through messaging app Snapchat, telling one girl that talking on WhatsApp was “too risky”.

The court heard Viccars had lied and told one of his victims he was a teacher when they first started communicating and was aware that she was 15 years old.

Ms Newell read out the transcript of a voicenote sent by Viccars to one of his victims where he referred to her as “little girl” and himself as “daddy” and “teacher”.

Ms Newell added of the victim: “She says effectively that she was lonely and she just wanted someone to talk to.

“He, it seems, was aware of that and abused it – turning the communication sexual.”

The victim said on one occasion Viccars had started laughing after he assaulted her, Newell added.

The court heard he had abused another of his victims over a period of several years, had taken her to football matches and told others he was “mentoring” her.

A scrapbook chronicling the two’s “relationship” that was made by the teenager and given to Viccars was handed to police and formed part of the evidence against him, the prosecutor said.

Viccars, who appeared in the dock wearing a dark green sweatshirt, watched the victim read out an impact statement during which she said he had been her “world” and that she had trusted him “completely” for almost three years.

Addressing her abuser, she said he had won her over with “kind words” and “attention” and had isolated her “in plain sight”.

“Now I know what you really wanted was someone young enough to manipulate,” she said.

“You took a girl that loved you more than anything and then you destroyed her,” she added.

Another statement was read out by the prosecutor on behalf of a different victim in which she said she blamed herself for Viccars’ actions which had broken her trust in adults.

She said: “I struggle to sleep, I have had nightmares.

“I would have nightmares about what happened – it kept replaying in my head.

“When I was awake, I would have flashbacks. I kept reliving it again and again.”

She added: “I’m unsure of myself and I feel I have lost my self esteem.

“I feel I am never going to find happiness.”

The victim said Viccars’ abuse had also affected her schoolwork and how she viewed her teachers as he had initially lied and told her he was a PE teacher.

In mitigation, Laura Blackband, defending, said Viccars acknowledged that his behaviour had been “disgraceful”, he had had a “difficult upbringing” and struggled with alcohol issues.

Three charges, two of sexual activity with a child and one of engaging in sexual communications with a child, will lie on file, the court previously heard.

It is understood the former assistant referee did not officiate during the last season.

Viccars is due to be sentenced on Thursday afternoon.