A judge has issued a warrant for the arrest of an Italian sex pest, who used to live under a tree, after he failed to turn up for sentence.

Antonio Zavettieri admitted the offence after seeing the CCTV footage and hearing the woman give evidence when he was standing trial at Swindon Crown Court.

But the 50-year-old, whose case had been adjourned for a pre-sentence report, did not attend to face sentence.

After being told that he could not be found at his last known address, a hostel for the homeless, Judge Tim Mousley QC issued a warrant without bail to get him before the court.

Adam Norris, defending, said "There is a suspicion he is living rough in the town. I am afraid at the moment we do not know where he is."

Zavettieri had pleaded not guilty to carrying out the sexual assault on June 21, 2015, when he appeared before the court last year.

But at his trial last month, he admitted what he had done after footage from cameras covering Wharf Green was shown to the jury and the victim had given evidence.

Zavettieri, who gave the court and address of Booth House, the Salvation Army hostel on Spring Gardens, pleaded guilty to the offence.

Last summer Zavettieri admitted possessing a kitchen knife in public place when he appeared before town magistrates.

He was ordered to do 80 hours unpaid work as part of a six month community order and pay an £85 victim surcharge.

The Italian, who needed an interpreter for court proceedings, said he was living under a tree at the time and did not realise he could not have the three inch blade in the UK.

He had been arrested outside Culvery Court, a homeless hostel on Harding Street, after staff would not let him in to his room because he was intoxicated, prosecutors said last summer.

The justices were told he had come to this country with his wife about four years earlier, but their marriage broke down shortly after.

He said he had the small knife for protection as her had been attacked before when he was sleeping rough.

Andrew Watts-Jones, defending, told magistrates “He lives under a tree. He tells me it is a very nice tree but he wants to live in a building.”

At last summer's hearing Zavettieri also admitted failing to surrender to bail in July 2015 after he returned home to Italy to see a sick relative.

He was wanted for almost a year until he was arrested outside the hostel with the knife in his pocket.