A 48-year-old Brighouse man has today admitted sexually assaulting a woman on the town’s canal towpath earlier this month.

Darren Halford appeared at Bradford Crown Court via a video link to Leeds Prison this morning and formally entered a guilty plea to the sexual assault charge which relates to an early morning attack on September 1.

CCTV images released by police investigating sexual assault.

Halford is understood to have been waiting in the area before he tried to lift up the woman’s skirt after approaching her from behind.

The complainant, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was pushed over during the incident.

Police cordon off Huddersfield Road, Brighouse
Police cordon off Huddersfield Road, Brighouse

During a brief preliminary hearing Halford, of Finkil Street, was told by Judge Peter Benson that he would be sentenced for the offence on October 26.

Halford will remain in prison until his next hearing and the judge told him that all sentencing options, including custody, would be considered by the judge who deals with his case.

As a result of his conviction Halford must now register with the police as a sex offender.