Police allege Anthony Samaras sexually touched women at Westfield Liverpool

A court has heard a man police allege followed a woman around a busy shopping centre for 20 minutes and sexually touched several other women could be heard screaming in his cells after he was arrested.

A man accused of sexually touching and stalking several women at a busy shopping centre in Sydney’s south-west has been sent to hospital for a mental health assessment.

Anthony Samaras, of Riverwood, failed to appear at Liverpool Local Court on Thursday after he was arrested at Westfield about 2pm on Wednesday.

Police allege the 41-year-old approached five different women at the centre, aged between 19 and 28, and touched them on Wednesday.

The man allegedly touched five women at Westfield Liverpool. Picture: Robert Pozo

It’s further alleged Mr Samaras stalked one of the women around the centre for 20 minutes and grabbed and twisted the arm of another woman.

He was arrested nearby and charged with four counts of sexual touching without consent, four counts of common assault and stalking/intimidating to intend to fear or harm.

The 41-year-old was refused bail to face Liverpool Local Court but officers from Correctives Services refused to bring him into the court room.

A representative from Legal Aid said Mr Samaras had been screaming in the cells and was “delusional”, the court heard.

“He is quite unwell… I was unable to take instructions from him downstairs,” he told the court.

Inside the shopping centre. Picture: Monique Harmer

However, a police prosecutor told the court Mr Samaras had been assessed at 4pm Wednesday and was “fit for custody”.

Magistrate Michael Crompton made the ultimate decision he would allow Mr Samaras to go to hospital for assessment and brought back to court if he is deemed fit enough under a Section 19(b) in the mental health act.

“He has a history of treatment and in consultation with a doctor correctives have come to the view he will be best to be in hospital,” Magistrate Crompton said.

Mr Samaras will be detained in a mental health facility for assessment before further decisions are made.