A 32-year-old man may face jail next week after admitting that he had encouraged underage girls to perform sex acts, and that he had made indecent images of a child.

Philip Knorpel, of Woking, will be sentenced at South West Surrey Magistrates’ Court in Guildford on Tuesday.

At a court hearing a fortnight ago, the IT project manager admitted two charges of making indecent photos of a child, and four of inciting a girl to sexual activity.

The four girls were aged between 12 and 15. Knorpel made contact using an internet chat service and persuaded them to take part in online sexual conversations. He did not meet them.

Angus McBride, Knorpel’s solicitor, said his client would not comment on the case until after the sentencing. Knorpel was a volunteer for community and police organisations. He is a former secretary of the national Neighbourhood and Home Watch Network and a part-time custody visitor, checking on the welfare of detainees, for Surrey Police Authority (SPA) for seven years.

SPA confirmed this week that Knorpel had left his role in March.