'Somerset gimp' banned from gimping for five years after police link him to 25 incidents

A man has been told that he cannot wear a gimp suit in public and has been prevented from "crawling, wriggling or writhing on the ground” after police linked the so-called 'Somerset Gimp' to 25 concerning incidents.

Joshua Hunt, a 32-year-old self employed gardener, is now the subject of a sexual risk order after. He was found guilty of intentionally causing harassment, alarm or distress following an incident in Bleadon, near Weston-super-Mare in May.

A court heard last week that two women were left terrified after witnessing a man dressed in an all-black gimp suit. The sexual risk order also prevents him from wearing any type of mask or face covering in public expect for medical purposes.

There had also been reports of one person witnessing a man dressed in a gimp suit grabbing his penis over the top of his clothing in October 2022. He is also said to have "gyrated against the floor". Other reports of bizarre incidents, including the man stepping in front of vehicles and being seen writhing on the group, stretch back to 2018.

Lawrence Wilcox, representing Avon and Somerset Police, told the hearing at Bristol Magistrates’ Court: “The evidence of the earlier incidents is based upon intelligence reports and the latter reports is more specific. But, we say, if the court is satisfied that the intelligence of the earlier incidents were of a sexual nature and committed by the defendant; there is material within that bundle that relates to that of a sexual nature and the acceptance of necessity.”

Peter Richardson, defending, said that Hunt's team had taken a "pragmatic and practical approach” to the application. He added: “We are not contesting the application but that is not the same as agreeing with everything that is set out."

Upon imposing the order, District Judge Joanna Dickens said: “I am satisfied that you have done a series of acts of a sexual nature. I have been informed what they are, and they certainly fall within the terms of the Act.

“They are clearly acts of a sexual nature with a sexual element to them. A sexual risk order is quite a serious order, and it has a lot of obligations of you and if you breach this order you can go to prison. I only make an order if I think it is necessary to protect the public from you and I do think it is necessary.”