A TEENAGER who committed a series of sex attacks against women along a walking trail has been sent to a young offenders’ institute for 16 months.

In August last year 18-year-old Joe Farnworth followed several women along the Kirklees Trail, exposing his genitals to them and, on three occasions, touching them.

One 16-year-old girl was grabbed from behind and he simulated a sex act on her before she managed to struggle free and run off and, on another occasion he attempted to push a woman into bushes beside a secluded part of the pathway.

Sentencing Farnworth at Bolton Crown Court Judge Graeme Smith said it was not known why he committed the offences and there was a possibility he may offend again.

“It leads me to conclude that you cause a high risk to members of the public,” the judge told Farnworth.

The court heard that Farnworth, of Rhode Street, Tottington, began targeting women on the trail, a 2.5km long former railway line running between Bury and Greenmount, on August 14 last year.

Wayne Jackson, prosecuting, said that, at about 6pm, a woman was jogging along the path towards Tottington and as she passed a school she saw a man walking towards her.

“(She) glanced over to him as she ran past and describes Mr Farnworth giving her a funny look,” said Mr Jackson.

But as the pair passed each other she felt a hard flick on her bottom.

“She couldn’t believe what had happened. She kept running down the track looking over her shoulder to make sure the male was not following her,” said Mr Jackson.

The woman decided to report the incident to police after learning on Facebook about other attacks on the trail.

The court heard that the same day a woman was on her way to Greenmount after finishing work in Bury.

“The trail was very busy at that time with dog walkers, joggers and cyclists. She states she felt relatively safe,” he added.

But at 6.10pm, when she reached St John’s Cricket Club, Tottington, in a secluded area enclosed by dense bushes, she saw a man walking towards her.

She took no notice until they passed on the trail.

“He quickly turned towards her and grabbed her upper thighs with both of his hands,” said Mr Jackson.

Farnworth tried to push her into the bushes but, although she stumbled, she did not fall over and started to run away as her attacker hung onto her skirt.

Fortunately, a man walking his dog appeared on the scene and Farnworth ran off.

The dog walker agreed to accompany the terrified woman along the trail, but as they headed towards Greenmount she looked back and saw Farnworth continuing to follow her 50 yards away.

When she turned round a second time she saw Farnworth had pulled down his jogging pants and was masturbating while looking at her.

Four days later Farnworth was following women on the trail, known locally as The Lines, again.

This time a 16-year-old girl was heading north from Bury at just after 3pm. She passed four women pushing prams coming towards her and directly behind them was Farnworth.

Unconcerned, she carried on walking.

“Then she heard quickening footsteps behind her and again saw the defendant,“ said Mr Jackson.

“He grabbed her with both his hands around her lower waist.”

Mr Jackson added that Farnworth them squeezed her tightly and began simulating a sex act as the girl screamed for help.

After 10 seconds he managed to struggle free and run off.

In court the girl fought back tears as she read out her victim impact statement and said she could not believe a total stranger could do this to her in broad daylight. She has not been on the trail since.

“I have been terrified to walk alone, day or night, because I feel this may happen again,” she said.

Farnworth was arrested on August 18 after following two women and their friends as they walked along the trail during the afternoon.

Mr Jackson said he began closely following them for up to 20 minutes after they saw him sitting on a bench near Darlington Close.

“As the ladies approached Sunnywood Drive in Tottington the defendant was still walking closely behind and when (one of the women) turned round to look at him, to her horror, she saw that he had his penis out and exposed from his trousers,” he said.

In disbelief the woman then noticed the man masturbating.

Ahead was a couple with two young children.

“She did not want them to see the defendant doing what he was doing so she ran up the path to warn them, “said Mr Jackson.

A short while later the woman reported what had happened to a police officer she spotted in a car on Laurel Street, Tottington and then saw Farnworth on the same street.

When arrested he admitted he had committed a sexual act on himself but when interviewed the next day claimed he had kept his penis in his trousers.

“He admitted he had done it before because it pleasured him,” said Mr Jackson.

Farnworth subsequently pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual assault and two of exposure.

Michael Lea, defending, described Farnworth as “vulnerable” and with “significant mental difficulties”.

He added that, for several months, his mother has been trying to get help for him.

He appealed for Farnworth not to be jailed, but to be given an intensive sentence in the community aimed at addressing his behaviour.

“That must be a more positive way for society to deal with such a defendant than locking him up,” he said.

However, Judge Smith disagreed and, in addition to the custodial sentence, Farnworth was placed on the sex offenders’ register and a sexual harm prevention order was made banning him from the Kirklees Trial for 10 years and prohibiting him from contacting his victims.