Residents in Claverham, Somerset are breathing a sign of relief after Avon and Somerset police arrested a man suspected of shocking locals by wearing a gimp suit and touching his genitals.
Authorities arrested the man, aged in his 20, and have charged him with indecency following 14 reported sightings of him wearing numerous disguises, including a black latex bondage suit.
— Avon&Somerset Police (@ASPolice) July 15, 2019
The woman approached on Thursday said that the man began “charging at me in a full black rubbery suit” and was “grunting and breathing heavily” before fleeing the crime scene.
The victim, aged in her 20s, was “hugely affected” by the incident and said that she would “never forgive” herself if the experience “happened to someone else and I hadn’t said anything”.
She told the BBC: "I was walking along with my torch and looked up to see someone charging at me in a full black rubbery suit and managed to take a picture.
— A . H (@amelievondollar) July 14, 2019
— Coroner Fan Girl 🏳️🌈 (@CoronialLaw) July 14, 2019
The victim said that the man “kept coming towards me and was touching his groin, grunting and breathing heavy,” adding that as she took a step back, he “was right in front of my face” and put his leg forward.
She later claimed that she remembered pushing and screaming at the costumed suspect before he began running towards the main road.
Officers later dispatched a helicopter and sniffer dog around 23:30 GMT to locate the suspect, but were unsuccessful. The latest encounter comes as others have reported the man shocking residents in the area.
A spokesperson from the Avon and Somerset Police said at the time that authorities were “aware of concerns relating to a man acting suspiciously” in the area.
— TheRealDanieltheSpaniel (@RAFpolicedog) July 14, 2019
— Pablo Tiley (@Pablo_Tiley) July 14, 2019
— SAMCRO (@CaptBlueballs) July 15, 2019
They added: "While we're keeping an open mind about the motive for these incidents, it's clear the individual responsible is deliberately attempting to cause alarm to the men and women he's approaching. The spokesperson added that while no one had been hurt, police fully appreciated “the distress these actions” had caused victims.
