A man could not help getting sexual kicks out of wearing women's clothes, a court heard.

Paul Reed, of Clement Close, Canterbury, was picked up in London after a woman in The Mall felt someone had thrown a coat over her shoulders.

Reed, who is less than 5ft tall, then took the coat off her and walked away.

Canterbury magistrates heard that Reed “can’t help” getting sexual kicks from wearing women’s clothes.

The 47-year-old appeared in court after breaching a sexual offences order which bans him from possessing women’s clothing.

When arrested he had a ladies’ fur-lined jacket.

The incident happened just 23 days after Reed was released from prison and warned by a judge at Canterbury Crown Court that he must control his urges.

Reed has a history of dressing in women’s clothing and trying to cajole women in the street into “modelling” the clothes for him.

He was made the subject of a sexual offences order which bans him from possessing female clothing.

But prosecutor Julie Farbrace told city magistrates that on August 21 a woman in The Mall in London suddenly felt that someone had thrown a coat over her shoulders.

Reed was arrested by Metropolitan Police after officers saw him walking around with the female jacket.

Mrs Farbrace said: “The officers searched his bag and also found a women’s knotted scarf.

“He told them he had gone to London because he wanted to visit a fetish club in Soho. He claimed he had been talking to a group of people about women’s clothing and make-up.

“Reed says he can’t help himself and says he wants the help offered on a programme for sex offenders, but has done nothing about getting it started.”

Reed admitted breaching his sexual offences order and is also in breach of a suspended prison sentence.