A man from Somerset has been found guilty of intentionally causing harassment, alarm, or distress to female motorists. Joshua Hunt, 32, terrified women by wearing a black “gimp suit” on two separate occasions in May. One woman feared she was being abducted, while another broke down in tears. Hunt was caught by a police officer reversing his van from a field. He denied the charges but was ultimately found guilty and fined £100. He was also ordered to pay £200 compensation to each victim and £620 in prosecution costs.
Lucy Lodge, one of the motorists, described the incident as surreal and thought she was witnessing a possible abduction. She felt anxious and had a panic attack when she got home. Martin Mills, another witness, saw Hunt crawling on the floor in shiny black clothing.
On the second occasion, Hunt stood in the road wearing a similar black latex suit and frightened a car carrying two women and a teenager. Samantha Brown, one of the victims, felt sheer horror when she saw him and was scared of what he might do.
After the second incident, the police found Hunt reversing his van and arrested him. He claimed he was not dangerous and had some mental health issues. A search of his property revealed a short story in which he described a face that would scare anyone. He had also searched the internet for information on the “Somerset Gimp” and the “Gimp of Cleeve” and purchased women’s tights and UV paint sticks.
During the trial, Hunt admitted to struggling with his mental health and said he engaged in “mudding” as a way to cope. He explained that the black clothing and face masks were for off-road driving. He expressed remorse for frightening people but insisted he never intended to cause harm.
The district judge acknowledged that Hunt had already spent a month in prison before the trial and considered this punishment sufficient. She accepted that he had already suffered damage to his reputation and would continue to face consequences for his actions.
