A 61-year-old man who groped two women – one a nurse and the other a paramedic - a total of five times must wait to hear his fate but he could face jail.

James McKinnon, of Hibbert Avenue, Watford, pleaded guilty at Chelmsford Magistrates Court to two charges of sexual assault - one on the paramedic and the other on a triage nurse - on September 3.

But the magistrates sent him to Chelmsford Crown Court for sentence after prosecutor, Kerry Davis, submitted that their sentencing powers were insufficient to deal with McKinnon.

He was granted unconditional bail to appear at the crown court on November 10.

Miss Davis told the court McKinnon had fallen down drunk in Chelmsford.

She said: "An ambulance was called to the defendant who had fallen and in the back of the ambulance he groped the buttocks of a female paramedic with his right hand.

"In A & E he grabbed hold of her left breast and her ambulance colleague came over and said 'that's enough’.

"He was taken to a cubicle and the triage nurse was assaulted, he grabbed and squeezed her left breast.

"Told not to do it again he started to stroke her left buttock and was again told to stop before again grabbing her left breast."

Submitting the justices should deal with the case, Emma Davenport, said: "He has no previous convictions, police had been considering issuing a caution but decided against it.

"He doesn't recall much, having sustained a head injury, and takes the pragmatic view of asking himself why would two professional ladies make up the allegations.

"He's written to the nurse and he's ashamed. He's very remorseful."