A homeless man has been jailed for 10 months after sexually assaulting a woman in the toilets of a fast food restaurant in Chester city centre.

Roman Lukawczyk, 43, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to sexual assault and was sentenced at Chester Crown Court on Tuesday, May 15.

The court was told how shortly after midnight on Easter Sunday the victim went to the toilet in Burger King on Foregate Street while waiting for her food when she saw Lukawczyk.

Burger King, Foregate Street, Chester.

He reached forward and touched her inappropriately.

She managed to get away and tell her husband what had happened.

They both went to find Lukawczyk and despite security staff from nearby McDonald’s trying to intervene and detain him, he managed to run away.

Police interviewed Lukawczyk under caution when he denied having been in Burger King claiming to have been ‘out of town’ and had only been inside the restaurant ‘once a long time ago’.

Detective Constable Andy Manson, of Chester CID, said: “Lukawczyk made it clear he was able to fully understand the different signs used for male and female toilets. It was a despicable act to deliberately go into the woman’s toilet to assault the victim knowing she was alone and Lukawcyzk will now pay for that crime.

“Thankfully the victim managed to fend Lukawczyk off before the assault could escalate further. I hope the fact he has been given a significant custodial sentence will give her some closure.”