Matthew Leslie Hyde was sentenced to a maximum of five-years-and-eight months after sexually abusing the two women as they walked in the Tamworth CBD on the night of September 19, 2015, and into the early hours of the next morning. He was also sentenced for assaulting a third woman.

Judge Mark Buscombe handed down his sentence in Penrith District Court, and imposed an aggregate sentence for the three offences of assault with act of indecency, sexual intercourse without consent and common assault.

Hyde has been behind bars since his arrest in Crown St, West Tamworth, two days after the incidents.

While he was in custody, he was charged by police with further offences following investigations into his Samsung mobile phone seized by officers.

He pleaded guilty to using a carriage service to solicit child pornography, using a carriage service to procure a child under 16 for sexual activity and using a carriage service to send indecent material to person under the age of 16.

Judge Buscombe ordered the mobile phone – which was the subject of the Commonwealth offences – be forfeited to the Commonwealth.

After time served, he will be eligible for parole in March, 2020.