A REDDITCH man who was among 10 of Britain's most wanted fugitives has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a woman in a Worcestershire town

The 30-year-old was arrested in Portugal in August last year after being stopped on a train.

Paul Buchanan, formerly of Foxley Street in Redditch, has appeared by video link at Worcester Crown Court from prison where he is being held on remand.

He pleaded not guilty to attempted rape of a woman on July 20, 2012, and this charge was left to lie on the file.

He pleaded guilty to an alternative charge of sexually assaulting the woman on the same date.

The case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report and Judge Nicolas Cartwright ordered that Buchanan should be produced in court for sentencing on March 1.

He was caught by the National Crime Agency's Operation Captura, a campaign to trace a list of wanted suspects believed to be among expat communities in the Spanish Costas.

Buchanan, originally from New York, was stopped at Gare do Oriente train station with no ticket or identification.

Police matched him to the photo circulated by West Mercia police.