A judge heard that although he had no previous convictions for sexual offences, Neil Smith had served a five-year sentence for trying to kidnap a 14-year-old girl in 2003.

Smith, 32, of Mount Nod, Coventry, pleaded guilty at Warwick Crown Court to sexually assaulting a girl in Coventry in January.

He also admitted harassing a schoolgirl in Balsall Common over a two-month period between January and March with intent to commit a sexual offence against her.

The Coventry incident took place when he followed the schoolgirl into an alleyway and indecently assaulted her.

The following week he began turning up in Balsall Common once a week, paying particular attention to one schoolgirl who reported him after noting his car number.

Smith's barrister Lawrence Watts said the facts of the two incidents were accepted.

"He received a sentence of five years in 2003 for an offence which, although it did not disclose a sexual offence, involved circumstances which were similar to those in these charges."

It had involved Smith approaching a schoolgirl in his car in Coventry, producing a gun and ordering her into the vehicle, but she refused and ran home.

As a result Smith was jailed for five years after pleading guilty at Coventry Crown Court to attempted kidnapping, having an imitation firearm with intent to commit an offence and a separate offence of stealing a bra and pants.

Mr Watts said the judge who sentences Smith for the recent offences would therefore be considering an indeterminate sentence for the protection of the public.

Asking for a psychiatric report to be prepared on Smith, he pointed out that while serving his last sentence Smith was seeing a psychologist in prison and had received counselling following his release.

Judge Trevor Faber agreed, and adjourned the case for psychiatric and pre-sentence reports to be prepared on Smith, who was remanded in custody.

The judge, who ordered that he should register as a sex offender, told Smith: "A custodial sentence of some length is inevitable."