A 40-year-old man who lunged at a girl, 17, in an effort to kiss her has been jailed.

Ionut Bleoju, of no fixed address, assaulted four women in St Ives on January 13 in what a police have described as a "rampage".

Bleoju pleaded guilty to sexual assault on a female, two counts of assault by beating, and using threatening/abusive words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress at Cambridge Magistrates' Court.

The court sentenced Bleoju to 26 weeks in custody on Thursday, March 31.

The 40-year-old began his rampage in Warner's Park, St Ives at around 2pm.

He put his arm around a 17-year-old girl who was walking her dog before he pulled out £40.

Bleoju reportedly said "you, me, hotel?"

He lunged towards the victim and kissed her on the face.

At around the same time, he tried to block a different woman from leaving the park.

At around 2.40pm, Bleoju grabbed a woman around the waist in East Street.

At 5.30pm, he approached another woman who was sitting inside a car with children in Market Hill.

Bleoju opened the car door and tried to get into the vehicle.

The victim got out but Bleoju put his arms around her waist.

When the victim's husband returned, Bleoju offered the couple £80.

All of the incidents were reported to Cambridgeshire Police.

Using the descriptions which witnesses and victims provided, officers arrested the man the following morning.

He was wearing the same clothes as the previous day.

Alongside the 26-week prison sentence, Bleoju has been put on the sex offenders' register for seven years.

The court has also issued him with a restraining order to not contact any of his victims.

PC Amy Smith, who investigated the assaults, said: "Bleoju’s behaviour understandably caused considerable concern among his victims and the local community at the time.

"Thanks to the victims coming forward with detailed descriptions and CCTV, we were able to bring his offending to a conclusion."