SCHOOLGIRLS have started carrying personal alarms after sex attacks in the Bolton area, a court was told. While the man who carried out the assaults was being held in custody, police officers took the unusual step of re-interviewing the girls to find out the effects of being molested. Mr Steven Sargeant, prosecuting, told Bolton magistrates that one 16-year-old girl said all her school friends were now carrying personal alarms.

The girl told police: "I never feel safe walking along the street, I never go out without my personal alarm."

Another, aged 18, said: "I've had a dramatic loss of confidence. If I see a man walking on the same pavement, I cross the road. I have stopped going home for lunch."

Before the court for sentence was Gerald Hurst, aged 23, of Fielding Street, Chorley, who pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting one girl aged 16 and two aged 18 and asked for a similar case to be considered.

The girls were attacked during the day in the street by Hurst, who was a delivery driver for a Horwich wines and spirits merchants.

Two of the attacks were at Bradshaw, Bolton, and another in the Avenue Street area.

Hurst was traced after one of the girls took the registration number of his lorry.

Mr Sargeant said Hurst told police: "It was just seeing a young girl with a short skirt on. I must be sick in the mind."

He admitted following other girls and confessed: "I want counselling before I go too far".

Mr Michael Garstang, defending, said Hurst, who had no previous convictions, had been in custody since September 12 and added: "He knows he has problems and he has shown nothing but remorse."

Hurst had lost his job but his girlfriend was standing by him.

He added: "She is expecting a baby and they want to make a fresh start."

Hurst was sent to prison for six months.

The magistrates were unable to fix compensation because they could not "quantify the upset to the girls".

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