A man who pestered a police community support officer with sexual threats walked free from court yesterday.

Steven Bates – who committed the offence only four months after being released from a nine-year jail sentence for attacking a police officer with a concrete slab – was given a 17-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

But the 31-year-old, who had pleaded guilty to affray and threatening behaviour, was told by Judge Colin Burn at Bradford Crown Court: “Your liberty is being restored, but under very strict terms. So the authorities can protect the public and patrolling officers from being pestered by people like you.”

In mitigation, Bates’ solicitor advocate Ann-Marie Hutton told the judge: “The stakes are very high for this defendant. It will be the first Christmas for some years that he will have been at liberty”

Prosecuting, Duncan Ritchie said the offence took place on July 26 at Allerton when the defendant approached the PCSO. She tried to walk away, but he followed and told her his name. Via police colleagues, she realised she knew about a previous assault, when he badly injured a police officer with a concrete block and went on to serve nine years in jail.

Mr Ritchie said Bates jabbed a finger in the PCSO’s face and he touched her uniform with his knuckles and asked to kiss her. When the PCSO told him to go home he repeated sexual threats against her and stroked her arm, then started shouting.

Eventually, he walked away and was arrested later.

“He set out to intimidate and frighten the PCSO that day,” said Mr Ritchie.

Giving Bates credit for a guilty plea, Judge Burn said this reduced the prison element from 21 to 17 months. He was also made subject to a two-year supervision order and 180 hours of unpaid work.