A man has been given a suspended jail term and been put on the sex offenders’ register for seven years after sniffing a 15-year-old girl’s neck in an Ipswich shopping centre.

Michael Kamp, of Willoughby Road, Ipswich, pleaded guilty when he appeared at the town’s magistrates’ court to sexual assault on a female.

The 36-year-old committed the offence at the Buttermarket Shopping Centre on February 7.

Prosecutor David Bryant said the girl was out shopping with her mother when she noticed Kamp looking at her.

He walked over to the girl. She thought he was about to ask a question.

Mr Bryant said Kamp used his whole body weight to push into the teenager, causing her to become unsteady on her feet.

Kamp then leant into her and took a “really deep sniff” of her neck before walking away and out of the shopping centre.

The court heard the incident made the girl feel uncomfortable and uneasy about going out alone.

Kamp required an appropriate adult to be present during his police interview.

He told police he did not like young girls in a sexual way.

He said he went to get a box of doughnuts from the shopping centre and was on his way out when he saw the girl with what he thought was her friend.

Kamp liked the look of the teenager and looked into her eyes, bumping into her. He felt guilty and embarrassed, and then ran off. It was said he thought the girl was in her late teens or early 20s.

Mr Bryant said Kamp claimed to have a nervous sniff and did not think it was a long, lingering moment.

He saw the girl was horrified and felt guilty and ashamed. Kamp told officers he did not mean to upset the teenager.

Giving the findings of a pre-sentence report, a probation officer told District Judge David Noble: “In my view this is purely for part of his sexual fantasy that he was playing out in his own mind at the time.”

In addition to a six-month jail term, suspended for three years, and seven years on the sex offenders’ register, Kamp must undertake the Thames Valley Sex Offenders’ Treatment Programme under the supervision of the probation service.

He must also carry out a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement, pay £85 costs and £115 to the victims’ fund.