A MECHANIC has been jailed after smacking schoolgirls on the bottom.

Thomas Perrott, 20, cycled past his victims as they were walking along before smacking and touching them.

Judge Shani Barnes, who said his campaign of sexual assaults terrified his four victims, sent him to prison at a sentencing hearing at Brighton Crown Court on Tuesday.

The court heard Perrott targeted girls in their school uniform between June and August 2016.

Perrot would ride his bike, pinching or slapping girls as he went past.

A 13-year-old girl and a 14-year-old in school uniform were targeted, along with two girls aged 16.

The offences were committed in the Three Bridges and Furnace Green areas of Crawley.

Perrott, of St Edmunds Close, Crawley, was found guilty of six charges of intentionally touching girls without consent.

In a statement, a 16-year-old victim said she felt scared walking home since the assault.

She said: “I don’t know if writing this statement makes you feel remorseful over what you did.

“Your actions hurt a lot of people.

“You can lie to the court, but I know you did it and you know you did it.

“I now feel scared walking home late at night and I panic when I hear someone on the bike.

“The fact someone could do something like this makes me feel sick

“I hope you look back and at least feel sorry for what you did, whether or not you say it out loud.”

Trina Little, defending, said: “He does not accept it was him who assaulted the poor girls.”

She said Perrott intends to appeal against the convictions.

Judge Barnes said the offences were so serious he needed to go to jail.

She said: “Four young women were made to come to court and give evidence about sexual assaults, at least two in school uniform.

“The third was 16 and the oldest was humiliated twice by you grabbing her bottom and then touching her round her body.

“There is no doubt they were frightened and felt powerless to stop you.

Whether you thought it was funny, it certainly wasn’t. Whether or not you think they were sexual assaults, they are.

“My job is make you understand this planned campaign over two months terrified young women and sentence you accordingly.

“I have to send you for an immediate term of imprisonment.”

Perrott was sentenced to 12 months in jail for each charge concurrently and will serve at least half of his sentence, before being released on licence.

He will also have to sign the sex offenders’ register for five years.

He held his head down as he was taken away by the dock officer.

Speaking after the sentencing Detective Inspector Jon Robeson said: “Although Perrott did not cause any physical injury, his actions were very frightening and upsetting for the young victims.

“We and they are glad that he has now faced justice for his offensive and unpleasant behaviour.”