A 22-year-old man has been sentenced to five years in prison for sexually assaulting two women in Hatfield. 

Kazi Miah was charged with two counts of sexual assault and one of robbery after he was arrested on Friday June 6, following a public appeal to identify him. 

The first incident occurred on a footpath between Lemsford Lane and St Albans Road West, near to the junction with St Peters Close at 10pm on Monday, June 2. A woman, aged 20, was approached from behind by Miah who dragged her into some bushes, punched her to the face and sexually assaulted her.  

The second incident occurred in St Albans Road East at 10.10pm on Wednesday, June 4. The victim, who was also aged 20, was walking through a footpath close to St Luke’s Church listening to music using her earphones, when a Miah grabbed her shoulder, tripped her over, causing her to fall to the ground and sexually assaulted her. 

It is believed that Miah had followed the women from Asda. 

CCTV images of Miah wearing a distinctive jacket were released to the public following the assaults, which led to his arrest. 

He appeared at St Albans Crown Court on June 23 and pleaded guilty to the offences. On Thursday August 14 he was sentenced to five years, with a further three years on licence when he is released from prison. 

Detective Constable Beverley Larman from the Local Crime Unit at Hatfield Police Station said: "We had no doubt that Miah’s offending could have escalated into something even more serious which is why we enlisted the public’s help in identifying and locating him.

"He is clearly a dangerous man and the judge agreed, giving him a substantial sentence to reflect his crimes."