A GUN-wielding teenage sex attacker who pounced on two women after stalking them through a town centre subway, was behind bars last night.

Jason Pearson robbed and assaulted his first victim after getting into her car as she prepared to drive home after work.

An hour later, he struck again, throwing a woman to the floor and stealing her bag.

He then used her phone to call her mother and gloat about the attack.

On both occasions he loitered near to the Churchbank subway in Bolton town centre before striking.

Yesterday he was sentenced to four years behind bars by judge, Mr Recorder Andrew Long, who said: “These are very grave crimes indeed.”

Bolton Crown Court heard the first attack happened at 5.30pm on January 17 when the first victim, aged 23, got into her car at the bottom of Castle Street.

She was preparing to leave when Pearson jumped in, pointed a gun at her head and ordered her to drive. She refused and he threatened to kill her, then rifled through her bag looking for money.

Pearson grabbed her purse and mobile phone, then sexually assaulted her at gunpoint and fled, saying he would put “a bullet through the window” if the victim drove off before he was out of sight.

An hour later Pearson returned to the subway and targeted his second victim, Gemma Wilson, also aged 23.

She was walking down Dorset Street when she saw a shadow of a gun pointing at her head.

Pearson appeared in front of her and told her not to scream.

She tried to knee him but he stepped back, then threw her to the ground and ran off with her bag.

Bolton Crown Court heard he used Miss Wilson’s phone to call her mother and said: “You are lucky your daughter was not sexually assaulted.”

Pearson, aged 17, of Hartfield Walk, Tonge Fold, pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery, two counts of possession of an imitation firearm and sexual assault at an earlier hearing.

He can be named for the first time today after

target="_blank">The Bolton News successfully challenged an order protecting his identity.

David Bentley, defending, said Pearson had no previous convictions and there was no explanation for his crimes. Jailing Pearson, Mr Recorder Andrew Long, said: “You climbed into a woman’s car, threatened to kill her, then sexually assaulted her. You got sexual gratification from what you did. She was deeply traumatised and that remains the case.

“You returned to the same spot and saw another lone woman who showed great courage by trying to fight you off. You threw her to the ground, but not content with that, used the phone you stole from her to call her mother and taunt her. These are very grave crimes indeed.”

The first victim, whose identity is protected, attended the hearing and said afterwards: “I am pleased this is now finally over. It has been hanging over me for nearly a year.

“The sentence should have been longer, but I am glad I came to court to look him in the eye.

I am just dreading the day in two years when I might see him again.”

Pearson was also ordered to sign the Sex Offender's Register.

Sgt Denise Pye, from Bolton Police, said: “Today's sentence should serve as a stark warning that if you carry a firearm you will be severely punished.

"Pearson deserves every minute of his sentence and I hope his time behind bars will give his victims some peace of mind."