Terrified woman filmed drunk pervert after he put hand down her underwear on bus

A drunken pervert sexually assaulted a young woman on a bus in a terrifying attack.

On April 20, Ashley Wynn, preyed on his victim on a public bus and repeatedly touched her despite her telling him to stop. The young woman was left feeling “dirty and uncomfortable” and now suffers with flashbacks and nightmares.

Prosecutor Jenny Haigh told Teesside Crown Court the woman was in Middlesbrough when the defendant tried to speak to her but she could not understand what he was saying.

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Later the woman got on a bus by herself and the defendant followed, sitting beside her. The court heard the victim described the man as drunk and said he was walking a dog.

Ms Haigh said after the bus set off he stroked the dog but then began to stroke the side of the woman’s back, she said: “He then put his hand down to her waist and began to caress her lower waist.”

The prosecutor said the defendant then put his hand down her underwear and the woman told him to stop and pushed his hand away. Ms Haigh said he did it again – at which point the woman began filming him on her phone to capture his identity.

The man then tried to speak to the woman again but she was unable to hear what he’d said. When she got off the bus he did not acknowledge or speak to her and the police were contacted.

‘I felt dirty’

In a victim impact statement the woman described feeling “dirty and uncomfortable,” saying: “At the time of the incident I was really scared. I was worried the man was going to come for me again.

“I felt dirty and really uncomfortable after it occurred. Now and again I have flashbacks of what happened. It’s really upset me. I have nightmares about it.

“I’m scared to get on buses incase a similar incident happens again. I just want it all to be over so I can move on with my life. I don’t want anybody else to face what I did from that man.”

The court heard upon arrest, the defendant, from Esha Ness Court, Hartlepool, gave no comment in interview but later admitted the offence in the magistrates’ court.

Ms Haigh said the defendant has 12 convictions for 20 offences and has a history of sexual offending. She said during one previous offence he masturbated over a female whilst she was asleep on a sofa. In his most recent sexual offence he exposed himself to a woman in 2020 whilst drunk.

His barrister Nigel Soppitt said he accepts fully what happened during this offence and has remorse. He said: “He says he has very little recollection of what happened on that day. He regrets what has happened.”

The court heard he has been assessed as an “impulsive offender”, is badly affected by drink and has mental health problems.

‘Impact on innocent women’

Sentencing, Judge Jonathan Carroll said: “You have significant relevant previous convictions and appear before the court having pleaded guilty in the magistrates’ court to a single offence of sexual assault.

“You were in drink when you did it. Fortunately she had presence of mind to video you so you could be identified. The victim personal statement speaks eloquently of how she must have felt, scared at the time, feeling dirty afterwards, suffering with upsetting flashbacks and nightmares.

“This kind of offending leaves a persistent long-term emotional and psychological impact on innocent women who have done nothing other than go about their lawful day to day business.”

The 47-year-old was handed a 16-month prison sentence.

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