A 39-year-old London Sex Offender, James Gathercole, has been sentenced for exposing himself and masturbating in front of ladies on a train in two separate incidents.
James Arthur George Gathercole (DOB 22 March 1985), of no fixed residence, was found guilty of two charges of exposure at London Inner Crown Court on Tuesday, July 2.
He was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison and had to pay a victim surcharge of £228.
James Gathercole received a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, requiring him to notify his assigned offender manager before travelling on the Underground Railway network or entering any railway stations.
- Approach, follow, touch, or talk with a lone female (unknown to him).
- Remove garments below the waist in public, either completely or partially.
- Engage in vulgar or obscene behaviour with himself.
The court heard how James Gathercole exposed himself twice on trains on Sunday, May 26, 2024. The first incident occurred at 3.20pm on the train from Motspur Park Station to Wimbledon Station, when he sat opposite the victim, a 27-year-old lady, and masturbated and exposed his penis in front of the passenger facing him.
Later that evening, at 7.20 p.m., James Gathercole boarded a train from West Sutton Station to London Blackfriars. He sat down on the train, knowing that the victim, a 19-year-old lady, was in his line of sight, and proceeded to masturbate and show his penis before getting up and strolling through the compartment.
After reviewing CCTV footage and a video of the incident captured by one of the heroic victims, the investigating officer identified James Gathercole as the culprit. He was apprehended and arrested, then prosecuted and remanded to Court, where he had little choice but to plead guilty.
DC Potter, the investigating officer, stated, “James Gathercole operated in a despicable manner by targeting young women.
“James Gathercole will be able to reflect on his actions while serving time for his crimes.” The SHPO will ensure that he does not target anyone again and that he is able to learn from his mistakes.
“We take all reports of sexual assault seriously and with the full support of victims in such cases this shows the positive results we are able to achieve.”
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