Harry Hankinson, 78, was reported to have died at HMP Wakefield last month, just under five years into a 14-year prison sentence.
He had been jailed at Bolton Crown Court back in November 2021 after forcing a 61-year-old hospital patient to perform a sexual act on him.
Speaking after the sentencing back in 2021, Detective Constable Emma Cooper, of Greater Manchester Police’s City of Manchester division, said: “Hankinson is a sexual predator who preys on vulnerable victims.
“His actions are despicable and unwarranted, causing a number of women to feel violated and unsafe.
Harry Hankinson was reported dead at HMP Wakefield (Image: GMP)
“Hopefully this sentencing today sends a clear message that sexual assault is absolutely not acceptable and anyone who engages in this criminal behaviour will be brought to justice to face the consequences for their actions.”
Bolton Crown Court heard how in February 2017 a nursing assistant looked through the window in the hospital room Hankinson had been staying in.
She saw him forcing another patient, a 61-year-old woman, to perform oral sex on him and quickly went into the room to lead the woman away.
In May that year Hankinson then invited a 67-year-old woman over to his flat for a microwave meal.
Hankinson pressed himself up against her back, touching her inappropriately, before the woman elbowed him away and poured her drink over him before leaving.
Around three years later in July 2020, when the woman was 70 years old, Hankinson went over to visit her at her flat before sexually assaulting her.
Hankinson touched the woman inappropriately and exposed himself, grabbing her hands and forcing her to touch him inappropriately.
The woman struggled to get away before stabbing Hankinson in the hand with a fork she was holding.
After being disturbed by a neighbour knocking on the door, Hankinson left but was arrested a few days later, on suspicion of sexual assault.
During the police investigation, a carer told officers that Hankinson had been forceful and sexually inappropriate, pulling her on top of him when she went to wake him up.
Hankinson was then further arrested on suspicion of sexual assault in connection with the carer incident.
After a trial he was found guilty of attempted rape and four counts of sexual assault.
Hankinson, previously of Kingsway Street, Halliwell and later of Butler Court, Miles Platting, had previously come to the attention of the courts as a hugely prolific shoplifter.
Brought before Bolton Crown Court in May 2014 to be sentenced for seven thefts between February and March of that year, the court heard he had 236 previous convictions for 521 offences.
Jailing him for 16 months and banning him from Bolton town centre, Judge Peter Davies called him: “an individual that I have never experienced in all my life, both in the bar and sitting on the bench”.
According to the Prison and Probation Service Ombudsman, Hankinson died at HMP Wakefield on August 16 this year.
A report into his death is expected to be published once an investigation is complete.
