Bassetlaw boozer kissed, squeezed and ‘slobbered all over’ 90-year-old woman

Daniel Cooke was sitting on a bench in King's Park, on April 13, and when his victim said "good morning," he jumped up instantly and rushed towards her, said prosecutor Becky Allsop.

When he grabbed her by the shoulder and began kissing her cheek and neck the woman said: "Stop it, don't be stupid - get going."

"In desperation I told him I had a virus in the hope he would stop but he only laughed," she said in a statement. "He slobbered all over me."

Cooke, aged 36, continued to squeeze her and she screamed for help before missing her footing and falling face down.

Cooke fell on top of her and bystanders, "who thought they were playing" until then, came to help. Her ribs were injured in the fall which affected her mobility.

When police arrived Cooke said he didn't know why he was being arrested and claimed he was only trying to help an elderly lady, said Ms Allsop.

"In police interview he said he was so drunk he couldn't remember what had happened," she added. "There is no suggestion that he groped her. A charge of sexual assault was dropped."

Cooke, who represented himself, said he was under pressure as his mother is terminally-ill and claimed he was only trying to help the woman.

“I fell into her and as I was trying to help her up she shouted, “You have done enough,”” he said. “Maybe things got spun around.”

Cooke, of Lexington Court, Tuxford, admitted assault, when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court, on April 15.

Sentencing was adjourned for probation reports until Thursday when district judge Gillian Young told him: “The offence is made more serious because we have a very vulnerable complainant who was very distressed.”

A community order made by Boston magistrates for battery on October 4 was revoked because "it is not workable.”

A new 12 month community with 12 rehabilitation days, was imposed. He was fined £150 and £100 compensation, with a £114 surcharge and £85 costs.