A girl of twelve was now scared of being alone after being followed by a man who reached out his hand to touch her as she walked alongside a river, a court heard on Friday.

“I don’t feel safe anymore,” the girl said in an impact statement after her ordeal at St Asaph last April.

Magistrates at Llandudno were told she’d screamed and run. John Harris Wood, 31, of Ffordd Brenig, St Asaph, then shouted “nice bum”.

Weeks earlier he’d made the same comment to a woman walking near the River Elwy after touching her bottom over clothing, prosecutor Julia Galston said.

The day after the incident with the girl a patrolling police officer saw Wood and believed he matched a description.

Defence solicitor Andrew Hutchinson said Wood, who admitted sexual touching and attempted sexual touching, suffered from Asperger Syndrome.

“Clearly his condition has contributed towards his behaviour on these two days. Out of the blue on two occasions he’s behaved very badly,” he said.

Wood was described by his lawyer as remorseful, and vulnerable due to his condition.

A twelve months community order with rehabilitation was imposed and he was fined £50. Wood must pay £250 compensation to both victims and £170 costs and register as a sex offender for five years.

A ten-year sexual harm prevention order bans him from loitering within 200 yards of schools and children’s playgrounds and the St Asaph “common land area”.