A painter and decorator attempted to kidnap a terrified Swiss student so he could sexually assault her.

Zachary Huckstep, 32, of Pepys Walk, Eastbourne, was wearing a purple lycra skirt and women's pink knickers when he was eventually arrested by police in July after a group of girls made a complaint about him.

Yesterday, he was given an indefinite jail sentence by Judge Richard Hayward at Lewes Crown Court and ordered to serve a minimum of two years before he will be considered for parole.

Last November, he pleaded guilty to attempted kidnap with the intention of committing a sexual offence, possession of cocaine and supplying cocaine.

At about midnight on May 24, the 16-year-old girl was walking home along St Anthony's Avenue, Eastbourne, when she was approached by Huckstep in his white van.

The father-of-one spoke to her and told her she was sexy but she said she was tired and did not want to be bothered.

Huckstep got out of the van and stood in front of the girl and tried to grab her.

Prosecutor Michael Warren said the defendant offered the girl cocaine and £200 to sleep with her but she told him she was not a prostitute.

Huckstep dropped his trousers and was wearing nothing underneath. The girl turned away and he pulled them up before trying to push her into the van.

He opened the sliding door and lifted her off the ground to put her inside but she stopped him by putting her feet against the side of the van.

The girl, who had martial arts training, managed to get away when she squeezed Huckstep's throat but he caught her again and she struggled with him before breaking free.

Mr Warren told the court the girl thought Huckstep was going to rape her.

At 5am that morning Huckstep's neighbour saw him in the window wearing nothing from the waist down. She found a note pushed through her letterbox saying if she wanted to have sex she could come to his house.

On July 2, between 7pm and 10pm he approached six girls aged 18, 16, 15, 14, 13 and 12 asking them for cigarettes and blocking their paths. Some of the girls noticed he was wearing purple underwear.

He was arrested on July 6 after asking a group of girls for cigarettes outside Tesco Express in Seaside, Eastbourne.

Police found a pink bra and pair of black high-heeled shoes in the van and a black dress at his home. A bag of cocaine was found in his trouser pocket and also in the van.

Julien Dale, representing Huckstep, said: "After his wife left him in March last year his drug use became worse and his sexualised behaviour."

Huckstep will remain on the sex offenders' register for life and was banned from working with children indefinitely.

He was also made the subject of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) which bans him from having contact with children under the age of 18, except for his own daughter.