A father of four who carried out a sex attack on a teenage social worker sent to look protect his kids has walked free from court.

Stephen Pickering was on a community order for making indecent images of children when he carried out the perverted assault.

The 55-year-old leered over the 19-year-old worker talking about her figure then sucked her toes after demanding the terrified teen take off her boot.

But a judge decided to give him ‘one last chance’ after ruling the public would be best served by him completing a sex offender programme.

Colin Meeke, prosecuting, told Swindon crown court that Pickering’s children were under a child protection plan because of his previous conviction.

Part of the plan meant he was could not be left alone with them but when one had to undergo medical treatment a social worker was needed while his wife was at the hospital.

On Wednesday November 11 the teenager from an agency was delegated to look after the children and kept in contact with colleagues every half hour.

“Some time after the children had gone to bed at about 9pm it seems he began making inappropriate comments to her,” he said.

“He started engaging in her in conversation about having children herself and started talking about her figure.

“He appears to have become rather more interested in her at that stage. He asked her to stand up, asked her to show him her figure.

“He became somewhat lecherous and lascivious; he started talking in a peculiar manner and was slapping his lips.”

Pickering then told her take off one of her boots and in fear and confusion she agreed.

“He seized her ankle and foot, brought it up to his mouth and started sucking her toes. She started pulling her foot away.

“He was drooling over her foot making remarks about them. He said he wasn’t coming on to her and not to tell anyone as he would get in trouble.”

The girl sent a text message to bosses telling them to get her out of there and while she was waiting for them to arrive he continued making strange remarks to her.

As a result of the incident Mr Meeke said the girl said she felt dirty and throughout the whole episode thought she was there as a carer for the children.

Pickering, of The Halve, Trowbridge, pleaded guilty to sexual assault.

At the time of the offences he was on a community order which earlier this year he was found to have breached by failing to go on a sex offender’s programme.

In June this year a judge gave him a chance to go on the course which starts this month/(september). Earlier this year he also admitted assaulting his wife and shop lifting.

Alex Daymond, defending, said although it would have been unpleasant for the victim and was a breach of trust it was not the worst kind of sexual assault.

Passing sentence Recorder Richard Smith QC said “It seems to me having careful consideration the matter and read all I have, to impose an immediate custodial sentence now, forget the first instinct, thinking of those around him and those he comes into contact with they will be better served by him completing a course which he says he is motivated for. If he fails he is going to receive an immediate and long custodial sentence.”

He imposed a six month jail term suspended for 18 months and put him on a three month curfew from 8pm to 7am.