Sex attacker slashes throat in dock during sentencing

A man cut his throat in the dock at Haverfordwest Magistrates' Court. Photo / Twitter @WelshAmbulance.

A sex offender has slashed his own throat in a courtroom dock as he was due to be sentenced for attacking a shop assistant.

Lukasz Robert Pawlowski, 33, appeared in the dock on the sex assault charge when he asked for leave to go to the toilet.

But when he returned he "slashed wildly" at his throat, a witness said, and collapsed at Haverfordwest Magistrates' Court in Pembrokeshire, West Wales.

Ambulance workers and a helicopter were called to the court to treat Pawlowski, who was flown to hospital in Swansea.

He is understood to have lost consciousness after the incident, but later awoke and was receiving medical treatment.

Pawlowski, of Pembroke Dock, West Wales, pleaded guilty to sexual assault in December and was due to be sentenced.

He had been banned from entering a shop after assaulting the woman worker in October.

The court earlier heard Pawlowski gestured to the woman to kiss him when he walked into the shop where she worked on October 30.

After she declined he leant towards her, grabbed her wrists and kissed her on the cheek, then walked off into the store.

Pawlowski later grabbed her from behind while she carried cans of lager across the store.