A STRANGER who sexually assaulted a woman in broad daylight in Worcester after hitting her around the head with her own mobile phone will be deported.

Robert Pieczykolan, who told the woman 'no-one can hear you' during the terrifying attack, was jailed for two years and nine months at Worcester Crown Court yesterday. The defendant, sentenced over a prison videolink, repeatedly covered his face with his hands as details of the attack were laid out.

The 'stocky' 33-year-old admitted attacking the 'petite' woman at around 4pm on July 22 last year.

The assault only stopped at all because neighbours heard her screams for help and rushed to her aid, one taking a photo of the defendant which led to him being successfully identified.

She was on the phone to a friend near Grosmont Avenue, Warndon Villages, when she saw the defendant lying on the ground. He asked her for the time which she thought was 'odd' as he had a mobile phone of his own and she began to feel 'uneasy'. Pieczykolan got up and walked in the same direction as the woman.

Simon Phillips, prosecuting, said: "He snatched her phone from her hand and hit her across the head with it. This made her fall to the ground and he got on top of her. She started to scream and tried to fight the male off. But he was too strong."

The married victim, who cannot be identified, also hit Pieczykolan with her umbrella but 'that made no impression' before he pulled her clothing down, scratching her chest and face with his fingers.

"She continued to scream for help but he replied 'no-one can hear you' or words to that effect" said Mr Phillips.

However, two men did hear her screams and when one approached Pieczykolan he stopped the attack. Another took a photograph of him which helped identify him.

Pieczykolan was found later, at around 7pm, nearby in Trotshill Way. Arrested and interviewed, Pieczykolan told officers: "God made me do it."

The victim's mobile phone was also smashed in the attack, costing £230 to replace. Mr McDonagh heard screaming and initially thought the defendant was trying to restrain the woman before telling him he was going to call the police.

The defendant who at the time was living in Hock Coppice, Warndon Villages, Worcester said, 'go on, call the police!' before starting to walk towards him in what was described as a 'violent manner'.

Pieczykolan, a married man from Poland, had been in the UK since 2012 and in Worcester since 2016. Family friends noticed he had 'acting oddly' and had experienced depression before the attack.

At one stage he was heard to say: "I think I'm possessed."

Pieczykolan had no previous convictions and will now have to go back to Poland. It was taken as aggravating features that it was 'specific targeting of a vulnerable individual - a lone female' and that a weapon, believed to be her own mobile phone, was used in the attack. He has been in custody since his arrest and only admitted the offence on the first day of what would have been his trial.

Jason Aris, defending, said it was abundantly clear the defendant was 'having particular difficulties with his mental health'.

"It's clear he found it very difficult to acknowledge that it was him who put her in that position. My submission is that it's shame that he essentially suffers from," said Mr Aris.

Recorder Christopher Millington QC asked Mr Aris if his client was in denial about what he had done and the barrister replied 'absolutely'. Despite this the defendant admitted the attack on a 'full facts basis'.

Mr Aris said of the Polish national: "He will undoubtedly be deported as a result of the sentence imposed on him today. He wants to return to Poland in any event to make a fresh start."

Recorder Millington said the victim had made a wise decision not to go into a more secluded, wooded area nearby and remain instead near houses, telling the court he was quite satisfied that the defendant had targeted her and had used her phone 'as a sort of weapon'.

Speaking of the defendant's mental health, the judge said: "It seems to me that at the time of the commission of this offence, you were still significantly in control of your behaviour and your actions. You were aware of what it was you were doing at the time."

He added: "Notwithstanding your guilty plea, you have continued to protest that all of this must have been some sort of accident. You have shown precious little remorse for what you have done."

The judge jailed him for two years and nine months, ordered him to sign the sex offender register indefinitely and made an indefinite restraining order which prohibits all contact, be it direct or indirect, with the victim.