A SEX attacker jailed for kissing and groping a 'vulnerable' woman in front of her daughter has now been revealed as a convicted murderer.

Paul Sowerby was convicted by unanimous verdict of two sexual assaults in Worcester and cleared of two others at Worcester Crown Court yesterday. The jury failed to reach a verdict on one of the sexual assaults and was discharged from further deliberations on this count. The prosecution will not be seeking a retrial on this count after the judge said it would make no difference to the overall sentence. Sowerby touched the victim's backside and attempted to kiss her in January this year. Her 12-year-old daughter provided drawings of what Sowerby did to her mum which were shown to the jury. Sowerby broke his leg and collarbone jumping from the balcony of a flat in Dent Close, Worcester when police arrived to arrest him on February 8 this year. The defendant shook his head when the guilty verdicts were announced.

The jury was told by judge Nicolas Cartwright that the 57-year-old of Dent Close, Worcester, had been convicted of murder on December 12, 1982 and was therefore on life licence at the time he committed the sexual assaults.

Timothy Sapwell, for the prosecution, had not insisted this conviction went before the jury because murder was seen as 'an emotive offence', the judge said.

However, Sowerby's convictions for escaping lawful custody and for indecent assault on a prisoner in 2003 were put before the jury. Mr Sapwell had argued that this earlier assault showed 'striking similarities' to the offences committed against the female victim.

Judge Cartwright explained to the jury that Sowerby had been recalled on his life licence for murder. He said aggravating features included the presence of the victim's daughter during two of the sexual assaults, repetition of the behaviour, the previous conviction for indecent assault, the targeting of a woman who was particularly vulnerable because of her circumstances and the fact that she had been compelled to leave her home.

The judge jailed Sowerby for three years in total. He told the defendant that, because he was subject to life licence, the date of his release would be dictated not just by the custodial element of his sentence and the time he had already spent in custody but also considerations made by the Parole Board in due course. As a convicted sex offender, Sowerby will be subject to notification and registration provisions.