A CLEANER at Ipswich Hospital has been jailed for four and a half years after bundling a woman into a cupboard and sexually assaulting her.Just a month later, while out on bail, Stephen Meighan, then sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl, exposing his penis to her and touching the girl's breast and genital area.

A CLEANER at Ipswich Hospital has been jailed for four and a half years after bundling a woman into a cupboard and sexually assaulting her.

Just a month later, while out on bail, Stephen Meighan, then sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl, exposing his penis to her and touching the girl's breast and genital area.

Ipswich Crown Court heard how Meighan, 37, had been in the Sproughton Ward area of the hospital in June last year when he told his victim, who was not a patient, he needed to show her something.

Simon Spence, prosecuting said he had then grabbed hold of her shoulders and pushed her into a cupboard containing cleaning equipment.

He had locked the door and pulled down his trousers before pulling open the 48-year-old woman's shirt.

He had then kissed one of her breasts over her bra and touched her between the legs before she managed to knee him in the groin and escape. As the woman left he told her not to tell anyone what had happened.

The woman later picked him out on an identification parade.

Meighan was released on bail and the following month had sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl, said Mr Spence. He said that Meighan had exposed his penis to her and had touched the girl's breasts and genital area.

Meighan, of Harebell Road, Ipswich, admitted sexually assaulting the woman at the hospital and sexually assaulting the 15-year-old girl and engaging in sexual activity with a child.

In addition to being jailed for four and a half years Meighan was ordered to sign on the sex offenders' register for life.

Matthew Gowan, for Meighan, said his client felt genuine remorse for what he had done and felt genuine empathy for both victims of the sexual assaults.