A 43-year-old man has admitted sexually assaulting teenage girls he persuaded to give him a piggy-back by pretending he had a bad leg.

Kieron Bobbette also jumped on another young girl’s back without warning as she walked along the street.

At Lewes Crown Court yesterday Bobbette, of Victory Mews, Brighton Marina, admitted five charges of sexual assault.

His victims were aged between 13 and 17.

They were approached by Bobbette on the streets of Brighton and Hove between June 2004 and November last year.

The court was told that Bobbette had not assaulted his victims in an indecent manner but that none of them had wanted him to touch them.

Constance Briscoe, prosecuting, told the court: "He commits sexual assault by approaching young ladies, usually under the age of 18, pretending he has a bad leg and an ache in his groin, and invites them to give him a piggy-back.”

Ms Briscoe said one victim complained Bobbette had forced her to give him a piggy-back and when he was being carried he asked her to do squat bends with him on her back.

She said he jumped on another victim's back. She said: "She didn't know him and she didn't consent."

Speaking from the dock before he entered his guilty pleas, Bobbette asked the judge: "Can somebody commit sexual assault without knowing they are doing this because I don't feel I have?"

After Bobbette admitted the offences Judge Richard Brown adjourned sentencing until October 13.

He ordered a pre-sentence report to be drawn up as well as a psychological assessment.

Bobbette was granted bail on condition he makes no contact with girls under 19 without reasonable cause.

An application by the prosecution for a further condition that he does not ask young girls to give him a piggy-back was refused.

Bobbette denied two further charges of sexually assaulting young girls in January this year and the prosecution agreed to offer no evidence. The two charges will remain on the court file.