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

A CONVICTED sex offender who committed a string of offences during one day in Leeds has been jailed for 18 months.

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.”

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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.

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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.

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Mr Haslam said: “He told officers he thought the weapons looked cool.”

Holdsworth admitted possessing three offensive weapons, sexually assaulting the mother of the girl, assaulting the girl, assaulting the man he punched, and indecently exposing himself to the family.

Mitigating, Kate Bissett said Holdsworth suffers from mental health problems and was sectioned under the mental health act last April.

Miss Bissett said: “In July of last year he was released on a community section and was doing well. Thereafter his home was burgled and a number of items taken belonging to his late brother, which caused Mr Holdsworth to deteriorate.”

Judge Tom Bayliss QC jailed Holdsworth for 18 months and ordered his name be placed on the sex offender register for 10 years.