Ban but no jail for shopping centre pervert
METROCENTRE pervert Thomas Wilson has avoided being sent to jail.
But the sex offender has now been banned from stepping foot inside the Gateshead shopping centre.
A court heard Wilson, aged 24, pleasured himself in the Blue Mall toilets.
He then dropped to his knees and “poked his erect penis” into a cubicle being used by a 16-year-old boy.
Wilson – who confessed to his crime – wept throughout his sentencing hearing.
“This is not someone who is crying because they’re in court,” said Paul Hanratty, mitigating.
“This is someone crying because they are very sorry.”
Wilson’s 12-week prison sentence was suspended for 18 months after magistrates heard he’d find jail “very difficult”.
And the Sky worker is now “on the sick” due to the stress of the case.
He initially visited the Metrocentre on a shopping trip last September 24 before using the toilet.
But South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court heard how the teenage victim realised “aroused” Wilson was carrying out his solo sex act due to his shadow.
Prosecutor Iain Jordan said: “He then poked his erect penis under the cubicle door. Of course, on seeing this, the 16-year-old was shocked and appalled.”
The boy ran to his mum – after the “quick-thinking” youngster took a picture to catch Wilson.
Police arrested Wilson the next week as he returned to the shopping centre. He pleaded guilty to exposure on January 22.
On that occasion, the court heard the previously-unconvicted Wilson defendant had a 2015 caution – again for exposure.
In mitigation, it was claimed there was a “suggestion” he may have bipolar but that tests were still being carried out.
“He’s extremely distressed by these proceedings,” added Mr Hanratty. “He feels ashamed, he feels humiliated – and he’s also quite frankly terrified by the outcome.”
And Mr Hanratty added that, due to what he did, Wilson had been dreading being locked up.
“He would find it very difficult indeed,” he added.
However Wilson, of South View, Stanley, must now register as a sex offender.
Bosses at Intu, which operates the Metrocentre, have taken their own action.
A spokesperson said: “Following an incident that occurred on September 24, and to which he has pleaded guilty, an exclusion order has been issued to Thomas Wilson preventing him from entering our centre.” MORE than 18,000 young fish have been released into North East waters to boost stocks and encourage people to get outdoors and enjoy angling.
A total of 11,000 roach, bream, tench, crucian carp and rudd were released by the Environment Agency in lakes and ponds.
The sites in County Durham were Greencoft Pond near Annfield Plain, and Wellfield Lake near Wingate, while in Northumberland fish were released into Hebron Lakes near Morpeth, Dissington Pond near Ponteland, the Environment Agency’s Wydon Water at Hexham and Northumbrian Water’s Whittle Dene reservoir at Harlow Hill.
All the fish were reared at the Environment Agency’s fish farm near Calverton, Nottinghamshire, using funding from rod licence sales. The releases are part of the Environment Agency’s drive to develop and restore rivers and fisheries in the region, to encourage people to get outdoors and enjoy angling.
Paul Frear, fisheries officer for the Environment Agency in the North East, said: “Restocking is one of many things we do together with our partners to develop fisheries, including reducing the impact of pollution, improving habitats and removing barriers to fish migration.
“We have been releasing coarse fish into stillwaters with the help of local angling clubs to help encourage members and those new to angling to get involved in what is a great pastime for people of all ages.”