A SEXUAL predator was compared to a 'vampire' after he sexually assaulted two sleeping men after plying them with booze at his bedsit.

Eric Liveley, aged 56, of Broad Street, Worcester, had already admitted two sexual assaults when he appeared at Worcester Crown Court via videolink from HMP Hewell to be sentenced on Friday following the attacks on January 18 this year.

Sophie Murray, prosecuting, said Liveley had struck up a friendship with one of the men who was homeless.

The man and a friend, both in their early 20s, were due to meet Liveley at a pub but agreed instead to meet at his bedsit when he told them he had 'booze'. They fell asleep but one of the men woke up to see Liveley touching the other under the bed clothes but did not say anything, concerned Liveley would 'react negatively'.

The man who witnessed the sexual assault then fell asleep and was himself assaulted. Liveley sexually assaulted him while he was asleep, an attack again witnessed by the other man who called 999.

Ms Murray said: "He said 'what are you doing?' He (Liveley) said: 'He's up for it'. The man said: 'No, he's not up for it, he's asleep'. He left the flat and rang police."

Ms Murray said of the victim in the second assault: "He was horrified and felt sick and upset, his trust in Mr Liveley had been undermined."

Liveley has previous convictions for sexual activity with a child, voyeurism and taking indecent photographs, receiving a sentence of four years in prison on February 1, 2010.

Ms Murray said these relevant previous convictions were aggravating. Liveley is already on a 99 year sexual harm prevention order.

Richard Davenport, defending, disputed the idea that Liveley had shown a significant degree of planning in the offences and said three grown men going back to a flat for a drink 'is what many men do'.

He also argued that the psychological damage done to one of the men was hard to gauge as he appeared to have slept throughout it.

"It's quite unusual for a convicted sex offender to come across as quite an affable bloke but he has previously worked in the pub trade which is why he has the persona he does" said Mr Davenport.

Mr Davenport said Liveley had himself suffered abuse in the past.

He added: "It's rather like vampirism. If they get bitten they become the monster themselves."

However, judge Abbas Mithani QC said this was not mitigation for behaving in such 'an appalling manner' and described the assaults as 'dreadful'.

"You befriended them and only did so in order that you could abuse them. It's a fallacy to think these victims would not have suffered some psychological damage as a result of what you did to them" judge Mithani said.

However, he took into account Liveley's remorse and regret and his guilty plea at the pre-trial review.

He added: "It's plain to me you pose a significant risk of serious harm to the public by the commission of further offences of this nature. You are a dangerous individual."

He could not impose an extended sentence because of the application of the sentencing guidelines but, if he did have that power, he would have no hesitation in imposing one. He jailed him for 31 months in total.