A CONVICTED sex offender touched and made an inappropriate comment to a woman at a supermarket.

CCTV cameras at Asda in Holt Road, Wrexham, caught Michael Andrew Rogers, 57, approaching the woman from behind and tapping her shoulder, before touching her lower back and walking off.

The woman had told police that Rogers, of Garden Road in Wrexham, had told her she was “f****** gorgeous” before the women felt his fingers digging into her flesh during the incident on March 15.

Rhian Jackson, prosecuting at Wrexham Magistrates Court, said the woman was shocked and upset by the incident, and felt her space had been invaded.

Rogers had previously been convicted after trial in December 2017 of sexually assaulting a woman.

He had committed the new offence while subject to a two year community order, magistrates heard.

He told police in interview that it he thought he had recognised the woman but it was a case of mistaken identity, Miss Jackson said.

Rogers pleaded guilty on March 23 to sexual assault, but on the basis that he did not cause any injury.

Magistrates at the latest hearing decided this would make no difference to sentencing, and assessed the case on defence’s account.

Bethan Jones, defending, said Rogers had thought he recognised the woman as someone he had known some time before.

He had not said that the woman was “f****** gorgeous”, but swore and then said “hello gorgeous”.

Miss Jones said Rogers wanted her to stress that he took issue with the allegation that he had injured the woman.

It was clear from the video that he did not have time to do so, and he was wearing leather gloves and so Rogers felt the woman’s assertion about his fingernails was a “huge embellishment”.

The placement of Rogers’ hand and the location of the injuries also did not go together, Miss Jones said.

She added that it was “not a case of sexual assault as you would expect it, but correct in law” as he had touched someone’s back without invitation and used inappropriate words.

Rogers was very tactile in everyday life but now understood that not everybody would expect to be touched in conversation - particularly when speaking to a female, Miss Jones said.

Magistrates imposed a new two year community order with rehabilitation activity requirement of 60 days and the Horizon programme for sex offenders.

He must pay £85 in prosecution costs, the same amount as a surcharge and £85 in prosecution costs.

Kimberly Caruana, chair of the bench, said: “It’s inappropriate behaviour and quite upsetting for anybody to put in that situation.”

An order was made to prevent Rogers from entering the store for two years.