A ‘PREDATORY sexual offender’ who loitered outside a Bridgwater nightclub before targeting a victim has been jailed following a sexual assault on New Year’s Eve.

Highbridge man Darren Blower, 50, followed his victim and grabbed her inappropriately before making himself scarce when she threatened to phone the police, Taunton Crown Court heard.

Prosecuting, Giles Nelson, read out a victim impact statement which described the psychological damage the attack had done.

"I never had a problem walking alone in the dark but now my whole attitude has changed. I am a very strong person but the experience has damaged me," she said.

"I never thought it would happen to me, it is the sort of thing you think only happens on TV.

"The worst part is when I go to sleep, I play the situation over and over again in my head. What if he had a weapon in his hand, what if I had not threatened to phone the police?"

The court heard that CCTV footage showed Blower outside a nightclub on Bridgwater Town Centre on New Year’s Day around 2.56am, before following a female who he later isolated and approached from behind, grabbing her inappropriately and threatening her.

The court heard that having grabbed the victim, Blower said: “You’re mine now, you are coming with me.”

Harry Ahuja, defending, said that the offence itself only lasted for a matter of split seconds and emphasised that Blower's record highlighted that custodial sentences were failing to break his cycle of offending.

Before sentencing Judge Patrick listed a series of crimes committed by Blower including numerous incidents of indecent assault and indecent exposure dating back to 1982.

"You are, in my view, a predatory sexual offender with an appalling record,” Judge Patrick said.

"It was a pre-planned and deliberate attempt at isolating your victim and assaulting her.

"There are very significant aggravating factors: the time of day, the fact you were drunk, that you were deliberately biding your time, you deliberately followed her and deliberately assaulted her. That pushes this into a category 1A sexual assault.

"In my judgement you are a dangerous man who poses a serious threat to the public, you are a man who is a high risk of committing serious offences again.

"I am giving you a custodial sentence for two years, and you will remain on licence until a period of eight years have expired."