AN AYR man who sexually assaulted a woman after refusing to leave her home and ripping off her underwear has been jailed.

Thomas Pender appeared at the town’s sheriff court for sentencing after pleading guilty to carrying out the horrific attack more than three years ago.

The 46-year-old admitted entering an address in Ayr uninvited on July 19, 2021, and attempting to induce the woman to engage in sexual intercourse.

He refused to desist when asked to stop, then exposed himself to the woman and compelling her to touch him.

Pender repeatedly refused to leave the premises when told to do so, and went on to follow the woman and to lift up her dress before touching her bottom.

He then "pulled at and ripped off her knickers from her body" and lifted her dress before carrying out the sexual assault.

Pender, of Lochside Road, pleaded guilty to an alternative version of the charge of sexual assault without the words 'with intent to rape her' removed from the charge.

Sentence had been deferred for background reports, but Pender’s defence advocate, Alan Melvin-Farr, told Sheriff Desmond Leslie that his client had given “evasive responses” to social workers and had attempted to play down his guilty plea when interviewed.

Mr Melvin-Farr said: "Mr Pender is 46 years of age and is currently unemployed. He has three children, who he doesn't see.

"He has had a partner, who was very supportive up to now.

"He has used alcohol since he was 14. He has engaged with addiction services and takes methadone daily. He had a rather chaotic background from an early age.

"Mr Pender has 25 previous convictions. I imagine of particular concern will be a conviction from October 2007 before a sheriff and jury for assault and robbery, resulting in his being imprisoned for 54 months.

"The complainer was spared the ordeal of having to relive evidence and give evidence and other witness were spared court.

"His playing down his guilty plea and evasive responses to questions can’t be ignored. There is no adequate explanation, other than Mr Pender being extremely anxious.”

Sheriff Leslie told Pender: “This was a humiliating, degrading sexual assault.

“The sentence is inevitably one of custody; I think you are prepared for that.”

Pender was jailed for two years, with the sentence reduced from one of 30 months because of the timing of his plea.

He was also put on the sex offenders register for 10 years.