Avon and Somerset PoliceA village in Somerset is reportedly being terrorised by a ‘terrifying’ man wearing a gimp suit who runs about ‘grunting and touching his genitals’.
Police in Claverham, Somerset, say they’ve had a number of phone calls about the man but they’ve so far been unsuccessful in capturing the gimp, the BBC reports.
One woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, encountered the rubber-clad person while walking through the village on Thursday and claims she saw him charging at her in ‘a full black rubbery suit’.
Avon and Somerset PoliceShe told the BBC:
He kept coming towards me and was touching his groin, grunting and breathing heavy.
As I tried to take a step back he was right in front of my face and he put his leg forward. I was just trying to assess the situation in my head quickly.
Everything was running through my head. I thought: ‘This is it, I’m going to get attacked’.
The woman explained, however, that when she started screaming, the man fled the scene running towards a main road.
Public Domain PicturesFollowing the incident, police dispatched sniffer dogs and a helicopter to try and apprehend the man but despite their best efforts the gimp slipped by them.
The unnamed woman told the BBC that her encounter with the gimp had ‘hugely affected’ her, explaining how she feels ‘panicked’ and doesn’t want to go outside, adding she sees his face when she closes her eyes.
Despite her anxiety she’s come forward to report the incident because she says could never forgive herself if this happened again to someone else and she hadn’t reported it.
Avon and Somerset PoliceAn Avon and Somerset Police spokesperson offered a statement on the gimp, they said:
We’re aware of concerns relating to a man acting suspiciously in the Claverham/Yatton area.
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.
While no-one has been hurt during the incidents, we fully appreciate the distress these actions have caused victims.
They added that patrols in Claverham had been increased to help reassure the public and to help officers identify the man responsible as quickly as possible.
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More of a concept than a journalist, Tom Percival was forged in the bowels of Salford University from which he emerged grasping a Masters in journalism.
Since then his rise has been described by himself as ‘meteoric’ rising to the esteemed rank of Social Editor at UNILAD as well as working at the BBC, Manchester Evening News, and ITV.
He credits his success to three core techniques, name repetition, personality mirroring, and never breaking off a handshake.