Sex attacker had 'twisted fantasies'

Daniel Boustead, from Scarborough, has been convicted of sexually assaulting two women and was due to be sentenced on Monday.

But Judge Paul Batty QC, the Recorder of York, said it was possible that Boustead posed such a danger to women that a hospital order under the Mental Health Act might be the safest option.

Mr Batty adjourned sentence for a psychiatric report to determine the extent of Boustead’s mental health problems and the level of danger he posed to females.

Prosecuting barrister Aisha Wadoodi said there was deep concern about Boustead’s recurring habit of threatening to carry out serious sex assaults on ”particular types” of women.

The victims of the two assaults in question were a nurse and a woman on a train who was sexually touched on the leg.

Ms Wadoodi said a particularly worrying aspect of the case was what Boustead said to the women in terms of his warped intentions towards them.

Although he has no previous convictions for sexual offences, Boustead, of Castle Road, is renowned for his unsavoury habits towards women and has court raps for harassment.

He was said to have a habit of stalking particular types of women, such as estate agents, in the street.

Mr Batty QC said a psychiatrist who had been consulted on the case was of the opinion that Boustead “met the criteria” for posing a serious danger to females, particularly given his fantasiesabout tying up women and gagging them.

“This is an extremely troubling case,” Mr Batty told Boustead. “I’m not prepared to deal with you on these matters without your medical condition being clarified and the possibility of a hospital order being made in your case.”

Mr Batty adjourned the case until May 20, partly to see whether a bed would be available for Boustead should a hospital order be made. Boustead was remanded in custody until that time.