A DRUNKEN sex pest who left India to study in Southend has been jailed for sexually assaulting four women.

Prashant Ravishankar, 27, of no fixed address, also assaulted a woman who suffers with health problems and a security guard during his time in the city.

Basildon Crown Court was told on Friday how Ravishankar had sexually assaulted three women at the Essex University Campus in Southend, where he was also studying.

He also attacked a man and woman at the campus, while sexually assaulting another woman at Rhythm Rooms nightclub.

All the incidents took place between September 2021 and March this year.

The court heard how Ravishankar had come to the UK from a privileged background in India to study.

He had returned home but was arrested at Gatwick Airport on May 29 when he travelled back to the UK with his mother for a holiday.

Prosecuting, Harry Hewitt said: “The various victims reported he was very drunk.

“The first incident saw him touch the inner thigh of a woman two or three times.

“On another occasion he touched the same woman’s head, shoulders and back.

“In another incident he touched the breasts of a woman forcefully at the Rhythm Rooms nightclub in Southend.”

Mr Hewitt told the court other incidents saw the defendant grab the wrist of a security worker and squeezed it, as well as assaulting a young woman with mild cerebral palsy by grabbing her hood.

Mitigating, Charles Evans said: “He was very lonely and turned to alcohol.

“He is remorseful, ashamed and very sorry. The alcohol made him unable to control his behaviour and some of the offences he does not remember.”

Mr Evans told the court his client found the studies difficult and became lonely and found himself turning to alcohol.

Ravishankar admitted four counts of sexual assault and two counts of common assault.

He was sentenced to five months in prison for the offences.

Sentencing Judge Andrew Hurst said: “You routinely and regularly made a nuisance of yourself with unacceptable behaviour. It seems to me you clearly have a highly problematic sexual attitude towards women especially when you are drunk.”