A PARANOID schizophrenic who preyed on young schoolgirls is to be locked up indefinitely at a secure mental health hospital.

Kevin Dopson, 26, pictured right, was found guilty of sexually assaulting two Trowbridge women and assaulting a third after a trail in February.

At Swindon Crown Court on Thursday, Dopson was ordered to remain indefinitely at Sandalwood Court, a secure mental health institution near Swindon.

At the hearing he also admitted possessing an eight-inch bread knife last March. The court heard Dopson posed a significant risk to himself and the public after he made threats to kill his family.

Judge Charles Wade said Dopson's attacks were very worrying for the young women involved.

He said: "You have had some difficulty in accepting the verdict of the jury in this case.

"The court has to do its best to help you and we need to make a hospital order to do that. Whatever you think of the jury's verdict the events on that day were clearly very worrying for young ladies concerned.

"I am satisfied the patient is suffering from a mental illness and it would be inappropriate to impose a time limit on the hospital order."

Last March, Dopson grabbed a 17-year-old girl in an alleyway between Gloucester Road and Pitman Avenue and pushed her against railings.

He put his hand over her mouth and pulled on her belt but let her go when two boys spotted them.

The terrified teenager walked away but Dopson grabbed her from behind and assaulted her again before she fled.

Dopson grabbed his next victim in Pitman Avenue and pushed himself up against her.

In the third attack he grabbed a woman in The Shires precinct but left her alone when she told him to.

Speaking at the sentencing, Dr Syed Husain, who looks after Dopson said his patient was very unwell.

"He has been receiving medicine but it seems to have had no effect on his current mental state," Dr Husain said. "At the moment there is only one drug appropriate for him and he is refusing to take it. He would be a significant risk of committing some form of indecent or sexual assault.

"If he were to improve with treatment his risk of reoffending would be substantially reduced.

"He has made threats to kill his family and said the witnesses should be killed for lying."

Dr Husain said Dopson makes inappropriate sexual comments to female members of staff.