A gardener who terrified female drivers heading home late at night in Somerset while wearing a gimp suit has been found guilty of public order offences.
Joshua Hunt was seen by one woman writhing around on the ground, while another was left shaking and crying.
The 32-year-old was fined £100 and ordered to pay £200 compensation to each of his three victims and £620 prosecution costs after being convicted Bristol Magistrates’ Court on Friday of two counts of intentionally causing harassment, alarm or distress.
The incidents took place in the evening of May 7 and just after May 9 in Bleadon, near Weston-super-Mare.
After his arrest Hunt told police: “I am not a gimp, I do not own a gimp suit. I am not in a gimp suit.”
‘Writhing and crawling’
Motorist Lucy Lodge, in a written statement, said she was on her own when she drove home through Bleadon and saw a figure moving on the ground.
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She said: “He was writhing and crawling as if in a military fashion. I could see the person was wearing very tight, dark clothing and had a mask on their face.
“The mask was dark and very tight and two white crosses where the eyes should be. My first thought was it could be a possible abduction and the person was trying to get me out of my car.
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“It was terrifying although I had only seen them for a few seconds.”
The witness told the court she thought she was witnessing an abduction when she saw the man on the ground.
She added: “I had never seen anything like this before. I feel scared and I never want to see this thing again due to the fright it gave me. I didn’t sleep more than three hours that night.”
Shortly after midnight on May 9, Samantha Brown was driving from work with her sister-in-law and another colleague when she saw a man dressed all in black with a face mask, the court heard.
Image: Police released an image of a suspect in a gimp suit at the time of the offences
Following reports of the second incident, the court heard police went to Bleadon and spotted a white Berlingo van in a field which was reversing and decided to stop it.
PC Declan Coppock spoke to the defendant, who was wearing grey trousers and a black hooded top, and arrested him.
“I noticed his skin was extremely wet and damp – suggesting he had been lying on the side of the road,” the officer said.
Hunt told him: “I am not dangerous, I am a normal person, I have got a few problems.”
A search of the van found Hunt was not wearing a T-shirt or any underwear and inside his van was a collection of wet black clothing, women’s tights, face masks and gloves. There was also neon white paint used for drawing on a mask, the court heard.
Hunt told police during an interview that his mental health had been in “crisis” over problems with his medication and wanted to take his own life, the court heard.
“I stood in the road because I wanted to kill myself and I never intended to scare anybody,” he told officers. “I am crying out for help and need help with my mental health.”
A search of Hunt’s home in Claverham uncovered a journal in which he had written a story about someone called Jack who purchases a black rubber suit and mask with white paint on the mask.
He had also done internet searches in 2022 and 2023 about the “Somerset Gimp” and the “Gimp of Cleeve”, the court heard.
‘I hated myself with the way I looked’
Hunt, a self-employed gardener, claimed he would go out at night and change into black clothing to go “mudding”.
“Which a lot of people wouldn’t understand, which is something I do to get covered in mud which is another reason I was there as it is close to the estuary where there is mud,” he added.
Hunt also told the court on the two nights he had been seen on the side of the road he had wanted to kill himself by being hit by a car.
“It never entered my head that what I was doing was frightening people,” he said.
“I apologise to those people – I agree what I was doing was frightening but hand on my heart I never intended to cause them harassment, alarm or distress.”
Two men have died after a stabbing in central London.
Police were called to a business premises in Long Lane, Southwark, at 1pm on Monday, where they found four people had been stabbed.
A 58-year-old man died at the scene while three others were taken to hospital, the Metropolitan Police said. These included a 27-year-old man who has since died.
A third man, who is in his thirties, remains in hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening.
Another man in his thirties, who has been detained in connection with the incident, remains in a life-threatening condition in hospital.
Detective Chief Superintendent Emma Bond said: “Our investigation is in the early stages and we are working hard to understand the full circumstances of this shocking incident.
“At this point, we do not believe it to be terrorism-related and there is no further risk to the public.”
The red carpet was rolled out at No 10 on Monday evening as the Lionesses attended a reception to celebrate their Euro 2025 victory.
The England squad went straight to Downing Street after touching down at Southend Airport in Essex less than 24 hours after they defeated Spain in a penalty shootout in Sunday’s final.
Led by captain Leah Williamson, who proudly clutched the trophy, the side posed for pictures outside No 10 before being greeted by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner.
Image: The England squad outside No 10. Pic: PA
Image: Leah Williamson carries the trophy. Pic: AP
Speaking to Sky News correspondent Ashna Hurynag after the 40-minute reception, England manager Sarina Wiegman described the celebration as “very, very special”.
“To be able to go inside and also be in the garden there, [was] really nice,” she said. “They had put up pictures of us to show what we had done in the Euros… it was very, very special.”
Some people on social media have called for the England boss – who is from the Netherlands – to get an honorary damehood, but Wiegman told Ashna Hurynag that she “hasn’t thought about that”.
“I feel so much respect from England and from the Royal Family too, I think that’s the most important thing, feeling valued,” she said.
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Weigman also joined some of the players to videocall Sir Keir Starmer, who was in Scotland with Donald Trump.
Image: England manager Sarina Wiegman and some of the players on a video call with Sir Keir Starmer. Pic: Reuters
Image: Pic: PA
Image: Angela Rayner congratulates some of the players. Pic: Reuters
In a speech at the reception, the manager quipped: “I have to make my apologies [for giving] you lots of heart attacks.”
“We made it through and that’s why we’re here now,” she continued.
“The team is just incredible, we won the Euros but making the final, we’re already legendary. Thank you so much for having us here.”
As the Lionesses left Downing Street, some stopped to try and meet another famous feline – Larry the Cat.
Image: Sarina Wiegman and Leah Williamson in the garden at No 10. Pic: PA
Image: England’s Esme Morgan, Anna Moorhouse and Grace Clinton try and get Larry the Cat’s attention. Pic: PA
The celebrations will continue on Tuesday afternoon with an open-top bus parade through central London before the team gather outside Buckingham Palace.
The Lionesses retained their Women’s Euros title on Sunday night by beating Spain in Basel, Switzerland.
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Behind the scenes after Lionesses’ win
Mariona Caldentey put Spain 1-0 ahead in the first half, but England’s Alessia Russo levelled the score in the 57th minute.
The game finished 1-1 after 90 minutes, with the score remaining the same at the end of extra-time.