A SEX attacker branded “a significant risk of harm to women” by probation officials walked free from court yesterday – sparking outrage from a victims’ group.

Ian Palmer was told by a judge that he deserved to be locked up for striking twice within the space of an hour in Hartlepool on the night of New Year’s Day.

But Judge George Moorhouse said Government guidelines suggested that the 29-year-old’s crimes were not serious enough to warrant a prison sentence.

The ruling was criticised by a support group for victims of sexual offences, which said: “This sends out the wrong message – that what he did was acceptable.”

Palmer was hooded and lurking in the shadows when he lunged at his first victim, putting his hand “forcefully”

across her face and splitting her lip, a court heard.

She started screaming when Palmer tried to drag her around a corner, so he released his grip and threw her against a wall in case people nearby heard the commotion.

Only 45 minutes later and yards away, Palmer struck again as a woman left the Owton Manor Social Club, grabbing both of her breasts and then fleeing.

The victim said: “I’ve since realised how lucky I was that he didn’t try to do anything else to me.”

She added: “I feel this man should be kept behind bars to protect women.”

The first victim, who was hyperventilating so much she thought she was having a heart attack, said: “My life has changed drastically since this happened.”

A Probation Service report described Palmer as a high risk, but said he was suitable for a place on a sex offenders’ treatment programme – which was imposed.

Judge Moorhouse told him: “It appears to me that you desperately need some help to overcome this addiction.

“The report says you are a significant risk of harm to women, but for reasons I think I have made clear, it doesn’t enable me today to pass imprisonment for public protection.”

At an earlier Teesside Crown Court hearing, Robin Denny, mitigating, said: “It may be appropriate to try to deal with this matter before it gets any worse.”

Palmer, of Loch Grove, Hartlepool, admitted sexual assault and attempted sexual assault, and was given a community order with a threemonth night-time curfew.

The court heard that he was convicted in 2008 of harassment after he called random telephone numbers until women answered, and made sexual remarks.

Kay Davis, North-East representative for Rape Crisis England and Wales, said last night: “He is clearly showing a pattern of offending behaviour, with each incident slightly worse than the previous one.

“I think by letting this man walk free it sends out the message that what he is doing is acceptable when it is not.

“The judge should never have allowed this to happen.

This man should have been sent to jail not let out on to the streets.”