A travelling electrician who has been jailed for more than six years for sex offences against young girls – including two at Whittlesey- was caught in Hull when a member of the public held onto him after he had assaulted two children.

Robert Parrish, 51, of Broadgate, Weston, near Spalding, admitted eight sexual assaults, five exposures, and two counts of voyeurism at a hearing in June.

The offences all happened in July, August and September last year. Two of the sexual assaults happened in Peterborough, two in Whittlesey and one exposure took place in St Neots.

Other offences were in places including Hull, Stevenage, Milton Keynes and Humberside.

All the victims were below the age of 13 with some as young as six.

Parrish was sentenced on Thursday at Huntingdon Crown Court.

At an earlier court hearing in Hull, it emerged that Parrish was held by a passer by who had heard loud screams. The victim was playing in her front garden with a friend when Parrish approached her and began talking to her. He began inappropriately touching her and then exposed himself before leaving.

Just a few hours later, the second victim was playing with a six-year-old girl in the Holderness Road area when Parrish approached them.

Parrish pulled down the eight-year-old’s shorts.

Hearing the girls scream, a member of the public rushed to see what had happened and held Parrish until police arrived.

At his sentencing Parrish was made the subject of a sexual offences prevention order (SOPO), with conditions for him not to go near areas frequented by children, to have no unsupervised contact with under 16s, and to have internet usage monitored. He was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.

DC Ralph King said: “Parrish was a serial offender who travelled around the eastern region looking for opportunities to offend. He is clearly a danger to children and will be under tight restrictions when he is released from prison.

“I would like to pay tribute to all the victims who showed such bravery in coming forward and ensuring Parrish was brought to justice.”

Parish was jailed for four years for a sexual assault in Peterborough on August 3 last year and four years for a sexual assault in Hull on September 1 last year, to run concurrently.

He received a further 12 months in custody for a further six sexual assaults, 10 months for five exposures, and four months for two offences of voyeurism, all to run concurrently, taking the total sentence to six years and two months.

When Parrish appeared at Hull Crown Court last year evidence emerged of his attacks on a nine year-old girl and an eight year-old girl on the same day. The court was told he worked as an electrician at holiday homes across the country.