A 38-year-old man was released early from a jail sentence only to find himself back behind bars for exposing himself to a woman police officer and groping her.

The officer had gone to Nigel Ryder's home in Strood to attach an electronic tag to his leg on the day he was freed early from a 90-day sentence.

Andrew Jones, prosecuting, told Maidstone Crown Court that Ryder was let out on February 16 from a sentence imposed by Medway magistrates for threatening behaviour and assault. Tagging and a curfew were imposed as conditions.

The victim, who was being trained and accompanied by a colleague from the tagging company, went to Ryder's home in Bligh Way to fit the tag.

Ryder opened the door wearing just boxer shorts and socks. He asked that just the female officer should go in, but she told him her colleague would also have to be present.

Ryder took them into his bedroom and lunged at the officer, exposing himself and waving his private parts at her.

Mr Jones said the officer told him to "put it away" but he grabbed her crotch and left breast until her colleague pulled him away.

Judge Adele Williams was outraged that Ryder was not arrested for 10 days.

"I think that is a disgrace and I want to know in writing from Kent Constabulary why he was not arrested immediately," she said.

Tom Stern, defending, said Ryder, who admitted sexual assault, had been back in custody since February 26. It was his first sexual offence.

Jailing the father-of-six for 15 months, Judge Williams said: "It showed a complete disregard for the fact that you were on licence and should have been behaving yourself."

Ryder will be on the sex offenders' register for 10 years.