Man arrested and charged with series of sex assaults on women in Leeds city centre

Gustas Adomatis was arrested at the weekend after a public appeal by West Yorkshire Police in which they released an image of a man they wanted to identify.

The 21-year-old, from Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, appeared before Leeds Magistrates Court on Monday charged with five counts of sexual touching and two counts of attempted sexual touching.

The offences are alleged to have been committed between May 17 and June 9 this year.

Adomatis is also charged with a public order offence of threatening behaviour.

The defendant was arrested in Leeds city centre on Saturday.

The case was committed to Leeds Crown Court where he will appear on Monday July 22.

Adomatis was remanded in custody until his next court appearance.

West Yorkshire Police released an image of a man on June 14 as part of an appeal to trace a suspect in relation to a series of incidents which were being linked by detectives.

The appeal stated that between 1.25am and 2am on Thursday, June 6, a 27-year-old woman returned home to flats off North Street in the city centre when she was approached by the suspect and sexually assaulted.

Between 4.45am and 5am the same day, a 19-year-old woman was targeted as she walked home from a night out.

She was sexually assaulted in North West Road before she managed to get away from him.

Officers linked the same suspect to three other incidents where women were followed.

Also on Thursday, June 6, between 6.30am and 7am, a 37-year-old woman became aware she was being followed in New York Street.

She shouted at the suspect and challenged him in Bridge End.

He continued to follow her to outside Asda House, in Great Wilson Street, before stopping. She managed to take pictures of him on her phone.

On Wednesday June 12, a 51-year-old woman was followed by a man in Bridge Street between 9.30pm and 9.40pm but changed her route and avoided him.

A 26-year-old woman reported being followed between 8:15pm and 8:40pm on Friday, May 17.

She became aware of a man following her in Meadow Lane. He chased her across the car park of Asda House but she was able to get away.

Detective Inspector James Entwistle, of Leeds District CID, said at the time: “One of the women he followed had the presence of mind to take some pictures of him on her phone and he is clearly identifiable to anyone who knows him.

“The nature of these incidents gives us some real cause for concern and we urgently need to identify him and arrest him for these offences.

“I would like to hear from anyone who recognises him or who has seen him in the vicinity of any of these incidents or who has any information that could assist the investigation.

“We are continuing to carry out extensive enquiries, including trawling CCTV to build up a picture of his movements.

“We recognise these incidents will cause understandable concern in the community and we are working closely with our colleagues on the local neighbourhood policing teams to provide suitable reassurance and increased patrols in the areas affected.”