A FAILED professional golfer has been jailed for 19 months after sexually assaulting a young woman and racially abusing an arresting police officer in a “bizarre” two-hour incident in Keighley town centre.

Alistair Houldsworth, who has a string of previous convictions, was drunk and high on cocaine when he put his hand up the woman’s skirt leaving her feeling violated and disgusted, Bradford Crown Court heard.

Houldsworth, 33, of Pemberton Drive, Shearbridge, Bradford, pleaded guilty to sexual assault, two offences of common assault, assault on a police officer as an emergency worker, and racially aggravated harassment, all on June 23. He called his victim sexy while he was under the influence of alcohol and drugs, prosecutor Camille Morland said.

She was disturbed and alarmed when he followed her, continuing to make inappropriate comments.

He then stuck his hand right up her skirt and slapped her hard on the bottom.

Houldsworth then committed offences of common assault on a girl aged 16 and a male student. He tried to kiss the girl and grabbed at the male victim’s bottom while stumbling about and slurring his words.

He then hurled racist abuse at random people in the street and at an arresting police officer, Miss Morland said.

He kicked a police officer in the thigh and shouted a stream of insults at his colleagues, calling them nonces and Jimmy Savile’s. He then threatened to spit in the mouth of one officer.

Houldsworth had previous convictions for sending an offensive communication, public order offences, battery, common assault, threatening behaviour and assault on an emergency worker.

His barrister, Abigail Langford, said he could have been a professional golfer and that career failure had caused his mental health problems. He became depressed and began drinking heavily.

Miss Langford said Houldsworth was highly intelligent and articulate and understood that his behaviour that day was totally unacceptable.

He had been very ill while on remand in prison and realised that his heavy drinking had to stop.

Miss Langford urged the court to suspend the prison sentence or to keep it short enough to allow his release very soon.

Judge Andrew Hatton said Houldsworth’s behaviour that day was “bizarre.”

He was heavily intoxicated with drugs and alcohol during the “peculiar and dreadful” incident that afternoon.

Houldsworth had been given a good many chances by the courts over the years but now the probation service no longer felt they could work with him.

Judge Hatton made a Sexual Harm Prevention Order was for five years.