A MAN charged with more than a dozen sexual assaults against women was subjected to torture in his home country of Syria before arriving in the UK, a court has heard.

Mohamed Ibrahim Alhamoud is also charged with seven counts of assault, two common assaults and one count of causing a public nuisance.

The 43-year-old did not enter a plea to the charges - the majority of which relate to sexual assaults on buses in Colchester town centre - when he appeared at Colchester Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

Alhamoud, who walked with cane, appeared unsteadily in the dock with an Arabic interpreter and heard there were a total of 21 charges against him.

The two extra common assault charges, which he has previously denied, were also added to the indictment.

The alleged offences took place between August 2015 and May this year.

James O’Toole, defending Alhamoud, told the court he intended to prove the Basildon Hospital patient would not be fit to plead and should not face a trial.

He said: “Mr Alhamoud has long-standing mental health issues.

“He is a Syrian national and he suffered torture in that country.

“It has left long-standing mental health problems.”

It is not known exactly when Alhamoud came to Essex but there is no suggestion he is in the country illegally.

District Judge John Woollard declined jurisdiction over the charges and passed the case to the crown court.

He released Alhamoud on bail to appear at Ipswich Crown Court next month.

Until that time, he must not go on public transport unless he is accompanied by an adult who is aware of the pending charges.

He must also live at Basildon Hospital or any address which is accepted by the leading detective constable in the case.

During the next hearing, a crown court judge will assess whether Alhamoud is fit to plead or not, based on the opinions of up to four mental health experts.

If he is found to be fit, Mr O’Toole told the court the defendant intended to deny the charges and a trial date would be set.

If Alhamoud is found not to be fit to plead, the Crown Prosecution Service could be asked to withdraw the case and a Hospital Order could be made, which means the defendant would become a mental health hospital patient for at least six months before a review is undertaken.