‘Somerset Gimp’ suspect Joshua Hunt denies scaring two women

The victim snapped this chilling photo as she was attacked.

A man accused of being the “Somerset Gimp” has denied twice jumping out in front of two women while dressed head to toe in latex, terrifying them.

Joshua Hunt, 32, appeared at North Somerset Magistrates’ Court yesterday to deny two public order offences.

Hunt, who lives at Brook Farm, Claverham, Somerset, is accused of having approached two lone women drivers on separate occasions in the Bleadon area, on May 7 and May 9 last year.

As the charges were read to him in court Hunt, who was dressed in a white shirt and beige trousers, shook his head.

The Section 4 public order offences against him stated that he used threatening and abusive behaviour that led both victims to fear violence would be used against them.

At a magistrates’ court hearing last week, Hunt was made the subject of a sexual risk order that is in place until January next year.

Under the terms of the interim order, he is banned from wearing a mask or possessing one in a public place, wearing black all-in-one clothing, or visiting the areas where the offences allegedly happened.

At the end of the hearing, magistrates chairwoman Eileen Westwood told Hunt his case would reappear before a district judge on August 16.

Hunt was released on bail. A four-day trial is scheduled from November 6.

‘Very nice young lad’

A magistrates’ court hearing in May heard that during a separate incident in October last year, Mr Hunt allegedly left a pair of friends distressed after he approached them wearing a gimp suit and rubbing his genitals over his clothing.

He denies a charge of outraging public decency in relation to that incident.

There have been a number of reports in villages around Somerset in recent years of what appeared to be a man dressed in a gimp suit, prompting Avon and Somerset Police to issue appeals for the public to report any sightings.

A neighbour, who lives in Claverham, has previously described Mr Hunt as “lovely” and a “very nice young lad”.