A 30-year-old man who sexually assaulted a woman in a shop before “inappropriately” touching a police officer after he was arrested, has been jailed.

Ronald Berko was arrested last August at a store in Luton Road, Chatham, after randomly approaching his victim and “aggressively grabbed her” over her clothing.

Challenged by the victim, he continued to pester her outside the shop and police were called.

Taken into custody, police say he “continued to act in a sexualised and abusive manner” inappropriately touching an office and, after being put in a cell, removed all his clothes and committed an indecent act while calling for a female officer or member of staff on the intercom to visit him.

He was charged with two counts of sexual assault and a further count of criminal damage relating to the police cell. He pleaded guilty and also admitted unrelated offences, which took place in February and March 2022, which included four counts of assault on an emergency worker.

Berko, from Magpie Hall Road, was sentenced to 22 months behind bars after appearing at Maidstone Crown Court and made the subject of a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.

PC Sam Mackey said: ‘Berko’s disturbing behaviour will have caused considerable distress and the victim he assaulted in the shop was left in genuine fear for her safety. I’m pleased we have been able to remove him from the streets as quickly as possible and that the courts have now rightly passed a custodial sentence.”