A walker suffered a serious sexual assault when bad weather forced him to check into a hotel for the night.

Two men at the hotel were told there was only a double bed available and decided it was their only option, Teesside Crown Court heard.

However, the move resulted in one of the men continually touching the other in a sexual manner leaving the victim traumatised.

Ronald Howes’ behaviour resulted in the other man sleeping in the bathroom to get away from his unwanted sexual advances.

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Ian West, prosecuting, said the assault happened when inclement weather brought an abrupt end to a country walk.

He added Howes had had a few drinks over dinner that night, and when he was arrested, he told police that he, "could not remember doing anything wrong".

The court heard how Howes was also charged with indecent assault of young boy years before.

After a trial, a jury found him not guilty of the indecent assault of a boy under the age of 14; but guilty of the sexual assault in 2018.

Judge Ray Singh said: "In the shared bed, you began to massage him. He moved to the edge of the bed.

"He fell asleep, but he woke up to find you were touching him. He pushed your hand away.

"Your hand moved forward to his groin area. He grabbed your hand and pushed it away."

The victim, who read out a statement out in court, said that he felt suicidal the morning the assault and he had to seek counselling.

Howes, of Wrentree Close in Redcar, was sentenced to a two-year community order with a 40-day rehabilitation activity day requirement.

The 60-year-old was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and was made subject to notification requirements for the next five-years.

He was also made subject to a restraining order preventing him from contacting his victim for five years.

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