A SECURITY guard who molested a woman when both were working at McArthurGlen Designer Outlet has been banned indefinitely from the shopping centre.

Andrew Paul Hutchinson, 55, also lost his job over the incident, York Magistrates Court heard.

Simon Ostler, prosecuting, said Hutchinson went up to the woman although they were not friends or acquaintances.

CCTV recorded him sexually assaulting the woman.

The victim, who was in court to see him sentenced, said in a victim personal statement that the incident had a major psychological effect on her.

Hutchinson, of Ashville Street, off Huntington Road, York, pleaded guilty to sexual assault. The offence was committed last autumn.

Deputy district judge Mike Hopkinson told him: “You have invaded the privacy of this young woman in a very unpleasant way and she has quite understandably been considerably affected by your actions.

“I am sure you didn’t intend her to be affected in that way, but that is what happened.”

He made a restraining order of indefinite length banning Hutchinson from going to the York McArthurGlen Designer Outlet and from contacting the woman including by mentioning it on social media.

He also ordered him to pay the woman £200 compensation, £85 prosecution costs and a £85 statutory charge and made him subject to a 12-month community order with 100 hours’ unpaid work and 15 rehabilitative activity days aimed at stopping him committing sexual offences.

Hutchinson will be on the sex offenders' register for five years.

For Hutchinson, Cheryl Rudden said: “He really cannot explain his behaviour on that day. He is very, very embarrassed. It may well be he had taken a shine to her.”

He had not been back to the shopping centre and had no intention to contact her or to go near her in the future.

“She has nothing to worry about as regards Hutchinson,” she said.

Hutchinson had no previous convictions.