Sex offender attacked woman as she walked with young daughter on Leeds street

Paul Holdsworth, 56, (pictured) sexually assaulted a mother as she walked past him with her young daughter on a street in Seacroft on August 14, Leeds Crown Court heard.

Prosecutor, Andrew Haslam said Holdsworth then looped a belt on the girl’s head and around her neck, causing her to “jerk back and stop.”

The court heard the girl’s mother removed the belt from around her daughter’s neck and walked away from Holdsworth.

Mr Haslam said when the woman looked back at Holdsworth as she walked away he appeared to be taking his trousers down.

The court heard later that day Holdsworth, of Gilstead House, Kingsdale Court, Seacroft, punched a man in the face in Seacroft in an unprovoked attack.

Mr Haslam said Holdsworth indecently exposed himself to a mother, her partner and three children on a street in Seacroft later on August 14.

The court heard Holdsworth, who has 24 previous convictions for 60 offences including six indecent exposures and one offence of gross indecency with a child, committed the August 14 offences while on bail.

Mr Haslam said police had searched a drunken Holdsworth after arresting him at Tesco in Seacroft on August 6.

The court heard Holdsworth was in possession of a nunchuck martial arts weapon.

A second nunchuck along with a knife were found in his friend’s car.