A MAN who left a teenage girl terrified after making lewd sexual remarks and threatening to rape her as she waited for a bus has been spared jail.

Ashley William Oliver, 25, of Letham Court, Ilminster, admitted the offence, which he committed on October 9 last year, and also admitted another offence of drunkenly attacking another girl at his home, leaving her battered and bruised, in January this year when he appeared before Somerset Magistrates sitting at Yeovil, when he was given the sentence.

Prosecutor Emma Lenanton told the court the first victim, a 17-year-old girl, was waiting at the bus stop in Market Square at 6.30pm when Oliver appeared in front of her with a bottle of vodka in his hand, said “hello darling” and appeared to be drunk.

He then launched into a vicious and lewd tirade against the girl, the court heard.

In a statement read to the court, the victim said: “He had no right to do what he did and this incident has knocked my confidence and I don’t like feeling like this. It is affecting my sleep and I am continuing to be tearful.”

The court then heard that Oliver also admitted breaking a plant pot and also assaulting a female friend at his house in January this year.

Miss Lenanton said Oliver was friends with the woman and she was at his home listening to music and having a few drinks.

“They had both been drinking and she watched a film in his bedroom while he was elsewhere. The defendant then came into the bedroom and went completely crazy, and punched her buttocks causing pain.

“He then laid into her punching her body and kicking her back and threw a wall clock at her.”

The court heard she told police she had been shocked at the level of violence Oliver used towards her.

She said she had received apologetic texts from him and he apologised in person when she bumped into him.

Chris Ivory, mitigating, said Oliver could not remember anything about the first matter saying he was drunk.

He said his client had no involvement with the police prior to 2013 but after losing his job he began drinking heavily after being left with more time on his hands.

“It is appalling what he said to the young lady and he has expressed how disgusted he feels with himself for saying these things and feels sorry for the way she would have felt,” he said.

He said the assault on Miss Anderson came after she had been at his flat for four days and refused to leave.

“He bought a bottle of vodka with the intention of drinking it and going to sleep, however it had the opposite effect and he lashed out in temper because she wouldn’t leave,” he said.

“This was the straw that broke the camel’s back and he behaved in the way he did but felt there was an element of provocation.

“Miss Anderson was his best friend but he has lost her now although he has apologised via text and in person.”

He said Oliver was alcohol dependant and had sought assistance from his GP and had also been referred to the Somerset Drugs and Alcohol Service.

As a result his alcohol intake had reduced substantially and he had also been diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome which led to difficulties in him engaging with his peers.

Magistrates told Oliver he had crossed the custody threshold but they had decided to suspend the sentence after hearing of the defendant’s mental health difficulties.

They sentenced him to a total of 16 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months.

They also imposed a one-year community order with a 40 day rehabilitation activity requirement and ordered him to carry out 150 hours' unpaid work.

He was also told to pay £300 compensation, £100 compensation to the teenaged girl and £200 to Miss Anderson along with an £80 victim surcharge.