A JUDGE has issued a warrant for the arrest of an Italian sex pest after a court heard it is feared he has returned home.

Antonio Zavettieri was spared jail after being caught on camera groping a young woman in Wharf Green, having sidled up to her making a series of lewd comments.

But the 51-year-old, who is on a community order, is said to have lost contact with the Probation Service and stopped attending for supervision.

Andrew Stone, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court that there was reason to believe the defendant may have returned to Italy.

He said that Zavettieri had attended six sessions of supervision and five days of rehabilitation activity requirement.

Judge Tim Mousley QC issued a warrant without bail to bring him before the court in custody.

Zavettieri was put on an 18-month community order with 25 days of rehabilitation activity requirement when he was sentenced in March.

He had denied sexual assault but, after watching the footage and hearing the victim give evidence at trial, he changed his plea.

Ruling that what he had done was not the worst of its kind a judge imposed a community order and told him to pay £350 compensation.

Zavettieri, who was born in Reggio Calabria, Southern Italy, has three alcohol-related previous convictions, including being drunk and disorderly.

He was also found with a knife in an incident outside the Culvery Court homeless hostel, in Harding Street, last summer.

At that hearing magistrates were told he was living under a tree at the time.

Magistrates were also told that Zavettieri was unaware that he was not allowed to carry a three-inch blade on his person in the UK.