A drunken man who was in police custody sexually assaulted a nurse who was trying to assess him, magistrates have heard.

Michael John Brown, of Glan Thames, Talsarn, was jailed for 20 weeks after he pleaded guilty to sexual assault.

Prosecutor Helen Tench said the incident had left the nurse feeling “disrespected” after Brown kept touching her, kissing her cheek and slapping her behind as she was trying to do her job.

Ms Tench said the nurse had been trying to assess Brown, 59, after he was taken into custody while drunk. She had sat a distance away from him on a bed, but Brown had closed the gap between them so his leg was touching hers.

Brown, who the nurse said seemed to “have no boundaries”, started telling her about his boyfriend which led her to believe he was gay, but Brown then put his arm around her and put his arms across the top of her legs. He then put his arm around her again and kissed her cheek saying “if you were a man I’d marry you”.

Despite being warned about his behaviour by the nurse, Brown continued and when she stood up to leave, Brown slapped her behind.

In a statement, the nurse said she had felt “disrespected” by Brown.

Defence solicitor Kevin Williams said Brown accepted he was very drunk, and that “doesn’t excuse the offence, but does explain it”.

Brown, who is in prison until 7 August after he was recalled on licence, was told by magistrates that he will serve an extra 20 weeks which will begin when the current sentence ends.

He must register as a sex offender for seven years and will pay a victim surcharge of £115.