AN ALCOHOLIC who sexually assaulted a paramedic, while she treated him in his home, and sexually assaulted an 11-year-old girl he accosted at a bus stop has been spared jail.

Roy Hedges, 61, formerly of Claremont Road, Basildon, carried out two assaults within hours of each other on March 7 last year. An ambulance crew was called to his home at about 5.30am with concerns for Hedge’s welfare.

Basildon Crown Court heard a female paramedic attended with a male colleague and found Hedges “glugging” from a bottle of cider.

David Baird, prosecuting, said at one stage the male left the house and “almost straight away” Hedges started to make “very unpleasant comments.”

He said: “The defendant told her: ‘You have got a body like my wife. Nice bum.’ He goes on to tell her what his wife enjoyed sexually.”

Hedges followed her into the living room, where he rubbed her breasts with the back of his forearm and said: “I’m going to get your knickers off you.”

The ambulance crew left and reported the incident to superiors.

However, just two hours later Hedges approached an 11-year-old girl at a bus stop while drinking from a can of beer.

Hedges, who now lives in Rayleigh with a friend, again started speaking about his wife, who died the previous year.

Mr Baird said the girl “started feeling uncomfortable” but he backed her into a corner and twice brushed her chest with the back of his arm.

During the incident he said: “Do you know what I like to do?”

When the girl tried to run away he grabbed her dress. She managed to break free and called her uncle, who detained Hedges at the scene.

Hedges spent six months on remand, but pleaded guilty before a trial.

The court heard he has no memory of the incident and he had been suffering from drink problems since the death of his wife of 38 years.

Judge John lodge handed him a 14 month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and with a rehabilitation activity requirement.

He said Hedges “took advantage” of the paramedic while she was in a “particularly vulnerable position” in his home. The judge said the assault on the child was “distressing and worrying”.

He added: “If he hits the drink and misbehaves in this way again then he will go inside.” Hedges must also sign the sex offenders register for the next ten years.

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