Recently released prisoner back behind bars after groping support worker

Gary Adams touched her on the breast over her clothing while the pair were in the office together on January 6, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

Mr Edward Soulsby, prosecuting, explained: "She pushed him away so that he could not take things further although she felt that he was prepared to. Sadly the incident has had a profound effect on her."

Adams, 58, had a long standing problem with alcohol and the victim explained in a statement: "I had spent the day trying to get him to stop drinking but he just subjected me to foul language. All I wanted to do was help and then he sexually assaulted me. I have had trouble sleeping since the incident and have been off work with stress."

The Black Country rehabilitation centre where she works helps released prisoners with drink problems to deal with life after being freed from jail.

Adams was regularly drunk and abusive in his home town of Walsall and had an anti social behaviour order slapped on him in an effort to stop being such a pest but it has led to him being regularly sent to prison for breaking the order.

"He has a long standing alcohol problem and has become a public nuisance by shouting and swearing in the street when drunk, " concluded Mr Soulsby.

Miss Aimee Parkes, defending Adams, said: "He is totally ashamed of himself after this latest incident which was completely out of character. He has never appeared before a court accused of a sexual offence before.

"He wants to stop drinking because he knows it will kill him otherwise. All his family have disowned him because of his addiction and he has been homeless and sleeping rough for many years. He has even slept in skips."

Adams, of no fixed address, admitted sexual assault and breaking the terms of his anti social behaviour order and was sent to prison for 30 months by Judge AdvocateMichael Elsom who told him:

"You caused immense distress to the woman you assaulted and the fact you were drunk was the catalyst for this offence. The woman was going out of her way to help and befriend you but you wrecked all that. As a result of what you did destroyed all that the woman was doing for you and could have done for others. The only appropriate way to deal with people like you is to send them to prison."