A MAN who touched a shopworker’s breast and leaned in to kiss her “sees everyone who is kind to him as a friend”, a court was told.

Martin Wheatcroft, aged 59, of Maple Close, Evesham, had originally denied sexually assaulting the woman but changed his plea to guilty when he appeared before Worcester magistrates.

Samantha Webley, prosecuting, said Wheatcroft went into the shop at about 9.20am on November 7 and started speaking to the victim and another woman.

Mrs Webley said the other woman had spoken to him before but the victim said she “doesn’t know him at all”.

“Mr Wheatcroft was following her around the shop and to get away from him she walked into a store room,” said Mrs Webley.

“He approached her from behind and grabbed her by the left breast. She says he leant forward as if to kiss her and she asked him to leave the store.”

Mrs Webley said Wheatcroft would not leave the store and continued to apologise.

A male customer then asked him to leave the store and eventually he did.

Entering a basis of plea, Wheatcroft said he had “clumsily” grabbed the woman’s breast for a “brief” moment.

Mrs Webley said Wheatcroft told police in interview that he had spoken to the woman on a number of occasions.

Mrs Webley said: “He said he considers her a friend but she said she had never spoken to him before.”

Amer Hussain, defending, said Wheatcroft was undergoing psychiatric care and had suffered a nervous breakdown in 2005.

Mr Hussain said: “The problem has been that any type of social contact is a problem for him – he sees anyone who is kindly to him as a friend.

"He was confused by his involvement with the shop worker. He stumbled forward and had a brief grab of her breast for a brief moment.

"It was a clumsy attempt by an individual to force a relationship with somebody.

“He has learnt from this incident and altered his behaviour accordingly. He wishes to apologise.”

Sentencing was adjourned until Wednesday, April 4, for reports.