A FATHER-of-three sexually assaulted women and girls during a groping rampage in Blackburn town centre.

Magistrates heard Yusuf Makda’s six victims on Saturday afternoon ranged from a 14-year-old girl to a 56-year-old shop worker.

When interviewed by police the 33-year-old said he had done it because ‘they looked nice’ and were ‘wearing nice clothes’.

The defence said Makda had been ‘possessed with madness’ when he struck.

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said the series of incidents started in a restaurant where Makda first tried to grab a 17-year-old member of staff.

He then indecently assaulted two other waitresses, aged 17 and 18, who were both touched on the chest.

Having left the restaurant, Makda approached the 14-year-old girl and her friends who were walking through the shopping centre.

After he had grabbed the girl she and her friends took pictures of him on their mobiles, which they later showed to the police.

Makda then went into a town centre shop where he indecently assaulted another 17-year-old girl. The 56-year-old woman, who was also a member of staff, challenged him and he responded by grabbing her breast.

Miss Allan said: “All the victims were completely unknown to the defendant.

“He has approached them in the town centre on a Saturday afternoon and subjected them to this degrading behaviour. He has no explanation for why he has done this and there must be the fear he will carry on with this behaviour.”

Magistrates warned Makda, of Walter Street, Blackburn, that an immediate custodial sentence would be an option for the bench that eventually sentences him.

He pleaded guilty to four charges of indecent assault, one of attempted indecent assault and one of sexual activity with a 14-year-old girl. He was remanded in custody for the preparation of a pre-sentence report.

Three charges of indecent assault, which related to touching the arms of two Police Community Support Officers and a female police officer, allegedly committed in the police station, were withdrawn following the guilty pleas to the other matters.

Imran Hussain, defending, said his client, a married father-of-three, accepted the magistrates would want a pre-sentence report.

“He has struggled to explain the madness that possessed him on Saturday,” said Mr Hussain.

“He is a man of previous good character who is disgusted by what he has done.

“It is inevitable he will be shunned by the society he lives in, by the people around him and those that he loves,” said Mr Hussain. “He accepts his behaviour was repulsive and wholly unacceptable and as a result he is no longer welcome at his home address.”

He said the most serious charge related to the 14-year-old girl but it was important to know that he didn’t realise she was that young.

Ordering a pre-sentence report, the chairman of the magistrates said Makda’s guilty pleas had at least saved the victims the trauma of giving evidence in court.

“These offences were intentional, for your own sexual gratification and all sentencing options will be left open including an immediate custodial sentence,” he said.