Pensioner jailed for masturbating on station platform next to woman with pram

A pensioner has been jailed after he was caught masturbating in broad daylight next to a woman with a pram at a railway station in West Yorkshire.

Police described the actions of Michael Wainwright, 74, as "horrific" and the "vile manner" in which he was acting was witnessed by another woman at Hebden Bridge railway station.

Bradford Crown Court heard how on Sunday 22 February at around midday, a woman approached a member of staff at Hebden Bridge railway station to report that a man, Wainwright, was masturbating on the platform next to a woman with a pram.

The member of staff looked at the live CCTV feed and could not see anything, so went out onto the platform to look into the incident.

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That is when he saw that the 74-year-old had exposed himself and was masturbating, and immediately contacted police.

British Transport Police officers attended the station and Wainwright was arrested and taken into custody.

In his police interview, Wainwright admitted the crime and stated that he knew what he was doing was wrong, but could not explain why he had done it.

He pleaded guilty to a charge of exposure at Bradford Magistrates' Court in April.

Wainwright, of Ashenhurst Road in Calderdale, was sentenced at Bradford Crown Court on June 25 to eight months' imprisonment and handed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Detective Constable David Bentley at British Transport Police said: "Wainwright's actions were nothing short of horrific.

"He later admitted to police in interview that he could have stopped himself from acting in the vile manner that he did, but he chose to do so anyway.

"There is absolutely no place on the railway for sexual offending, and we’re committed to securing justice for victims and ensuring offenders like Wainwright have their day in court.

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“Anyone who witnesses a sexual offence on the railway is urged to report it to us immediately by texting 61016. No report is too small or too trivial, and we’ll always take action.”

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