A former betting shop boss who sexually assaulted girls and a woman in a string of terrifying attacks during the school run has been jailed.

Neil Jarvis admitted the three assaults in Ramsgate town centre in the summer last year, including molesting a four-year-old in front of her mother at a bus stop.

The 46-year-old also groped a 14-year-old school girl at another stop, then told police her skirt was “too short.”

The ex-William Hill manager would also sneak behind an unsuspecting woman in her 40s before grabbing her waist and chest, Canterbury Crown Court heard.

Police released Jarvis pending further enquiries after two of the attacks, paving the way for further offending.

On Wednesday, he was handed 32 months' custody and a 10-year restraining order.

Jarvis lurked around bus stops before approaching his victims, prosecutor Paul Valder said.

In July, he touched the teenager’s thigh in front of other children while under the influence of alcohol.

Following his arrest, police released Jarvis under investigation. He then launched an attack on a woman during another school run.

“She felt someone grab her from behind, she felt a strong grip around her waist," Mr Valder said.

“At first she thought it was a joke but it was a very tight grip as she couldn’t use her arms."

Jarvis restrained her for nine seconds, grabbing her breasts before she fought him off, the prosecutor continued.

The court heard Jarvis then targeted a four-year-old girl in front of her mother shortly after police released him.

Prosecutors said Kent Police had not specified whether Jarvis was released on bail or under investigation on each occasion.

Jarvis’ victims told the court of their turmoil in the wake of the attacks.

“People tell me [the assault] was one chance in a million but it did happen to me and I feel it could happen again,” the 14-year-old said.

The woman in her 40s branded the abuse nightmare-inducing and “terrifying”, prompting her to “constantly look behind herself.”

“Your behaviour is the sort that is so strange and startling that is itself something very difficult to understand and accept...”

And the four-year-old's mother told how her once “bubbly daughter” now suffers panic attacks, adding: “[She is] scared of men who talk to her - unable to go close to family members.”

The judge, Recorder Trimmer QC called Jarvis’ actions “dangerous and concerning incidents of sexual assaults.”

“Your behaviour is the sort that is so strange and startling that is itself something very difficult to understand and accept,” he added.

But the judge highlighted Jarvis had previously suffered a head trauma affecting his behaviour, with alcohol abuse exacerbating mental health issues.

Psychiatric reports were unable to clarify the extent of damage Jarvis sustained. However, they stressed he now suffers from epilepsy.

Mitigating, James Harrison said Jarvis was of previous good character and pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.

He also plans on quitting alcohol, going back to education and addressing mental health issues, which can cause him to “misread social situations", the lawyer added.

Jarvis, of Grange Road in Ramsgate, pleaded guilty at an early opportunity to two counts of sexual assault and sexual assault of a child under 13.

He will be placed on the sex offenders' register for 10 years and be subject to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.

Commenting after Jarvis was sentenced, PC Sonja Lupton, Kent Police's investigating officer, said: "Every woman and girl has a right to feel safe in the communities in which they live and that is why tackling violence against women and girls is a priority for Kent Police.

"Jarvis's actions against these victims were abhorrent and I hope the fact that the offender has been held to account gives them some sense that justice has been done.

"We are committed to bringing perpetrators of such offences to justice and I encourage any victims who have not reported similar offences to us to do so as soon as possible, either through our website or by calling 101, or 999 if a crime is in progress."

For more on how Kent Police is tackling violence against women and girls, click here.