An Essex man who sexually assaulted a paramedic who responded to a 999 call has been warned that he is likely to be jailed when he is sentenced next month.

Okan Serin, a project manager for Virgin Media, suffered from severe anxiety and had been drinking heavily and self-medicating when he committed the assault in August last year, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Serin, 46, of Rose Cottage, Lark’s Lane, Chelmsford, had denied sexually assaulting the female paramedic on August 25 last year and two offences of assault by beating on her and a female colleague.

However, today (Thursday) on what should have been the first day of his trial Serin changed his plea on the sexual assault charge to guilty.

Prosecution counsel Stephen Rose said in view of Serin’s plea to the sexual assault charge he would not be seeking a trial in the two assault charges and these were ordered to be left in the court file.

Adjourning sentence to allow defence counsel Sean Sullivan to obtain information about Serin’s anxiety, Judge Rupert Overbury said: “I take the view that any assault on those who are employed as police officers, hospital or ambulance technicians or by the fire service can only be dealt with by custody, regardless of someone’s personal circumstances.”

“It seems to me that balancing the aggravating and mitigating evidence I’ve heard so far, this offence is so serious that it crosses the custody threshold and can only merit an immediate custodial sentence.”

“Don’t leave here thinking that when you come back you are facing anything other than immediate custody. At the moment on the information I have I’m not satisfied that anything other than immediate custody is merited.” he added.

Judge Overbury agreed to grant Serin, who has a young baby, bail to allow him to get his affairs in order before his sentencing hearing on September 10.

Mr Sullivan told the court that Serin, who has no previous convictions, had been in a “very unhappy place” at the time of the assault and had drunk a substantial amount of alcohol as well as self-medicating.

“This led to him behaving in an entirely unacceptable way,” said Mr Sullivan.