An undercover female police officer has been used as a 'honeytrap' to ensnare a dangerous sex pest.
The operation to capture the sex offender was set up on the cycle path between Collingham Park and Lancaster University's Bailrigg campus on Sunday morning.
It is alleged that the man verbally abused the undercover police woman and then grabbed his groin in front of her.
It was at this point that an arrest was made.
Nine offences have been reported to police by students and local women who use the cycle path.
Police are investigating to see if they are related.
In one incident a foreign student was pushed off her bike and sexually assaulted leaving her in a very distressed state.
On another occasion a 32 year-old woman was verbally abused by a man who then committed an indecent act before running away.
All the incidents were described by a police spokesman as "particularly distressing and degrading."
A man is in custody helping police with their enquiries.
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