A homeless man has been ordered to pay compensation after he sexually assaulted a mother in Weymouth town centre.

John Poole, aged 26 and of no fixed abode, admitted the charge when he appeared at Weymouth Magistrates Court.

The court heard on December 11, the victim was walking along School Street in Weymouth around 10.20am, pushing her two-year-old child in a pram, when she became aware of Poole walking behind her.

In a statement read in court, the woman said Poole was so close she thought he was going to snatch her purse so she moved into a bike stand area, thinking he would keeping walking.

However, the victim said Poole then pressed himself up against her and his genitals made contact with her body.

She added the incident lasted several seconds.

When she turned around the victim saw Poole had his hands down his trousers.

"He didn't seem bothered. I didn't consent to being touched," she said.

The victim then took a photo of Poole on her phone which was later used to identify him.

When interviewed by police Poole recalled the incident and confirmed he was very close to the victim but said he did not make contact between his body and hers.

Poole also said he did have his hand down his trousers but he was not masturbating and he "often walked around like that".

The court heard Poole had been before magistrates on several occasions for breaching a criminal behaviour order which had been imposed in July 2016 after Poole was found to be persistently begging in Weymouth.

The order banned Poole from most of Weymouth town centre.

Miss Tring, mitigating, said: "This offence is completely different than anything he's been arrested for before. I was quite shocked when I heard about it. I know this man - he is very personable and polite."

She added Poole was "very suggestible" and tended to agree with whatever anyone said to him.

"He can't be sure whether he did take his genitals out of his trousers and neither can the victim but if you asked him he would probably say yes," Miss Tring said. "He certainly is ashamed. There seems to have been a sexual nature to it. It's so out of character that it is hard to mitigate why this happened. He is a vulnerable young man who lives on the street. He needs help clearly."

Chairman of the bench, John Young said: "It was unacceptable for you to behave that way that day. It's a serious offence but you have worked with the police and you are here now with your hands held up."

Poole was handed a two year community order requiring him to work with probation services and attend 60 rehabilitation activity days.

He was also ordered to pay £85 compensation to the victim.