By Kelly Ashmore,Stoke-On-Trent Live
Copyright birminghammail
A man dubbed ‘a bit of a loner’ was caught performing a sex act in a public toilet. The cubicle door was open as Patrick Davenport acted on ‘an urge’ and ‘relieved himself’ at a Midlands shopping centre. His pants and trousers were down as he performed a sex act on himself with a ‘vacant’ expression on his face. The 39-year-old’s actions on February 7 ‘deeply offended’ a witness, who ‘froze and shouted’ before contacting security at The Potteries Centre in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent. READ MORE: Contactless card limit change could give abusers ‘free access to drain accounts’ Davenport, of Fountain Street, Leek, was arrested in the centre. He gave no comment in his police interview but later pleaded guilty to exposure, StokeonTrentLive reports. It comes after he was handed an 18-month community order for performing a sex act on the number 25 bus from Stoke Station in April. Prosecutor Maggie Meakin told the court: “The defendant was in the fourth cubicle. “His pants and trousers were down and he was performing a sex act on himself. “He had a vacant facial expression. He was looking in the person’s direction. “The person froze and shouted. The defendant walked out. The person contacted security.” A statement from the victim was read to the court, in which they said: “I found it disgusting anyone could think to perform it given that anyone could see it.” Mike Kimberley, mitigating, told the court Davenport had mental health issues. He added: “He is a bit of a loner. He lives in Leek. “Every other day he catches a bus and goes to Hanley, then Newcastle. “He gets a takeaway and catches the bus backwards. “On this day he had an urge and he went into the lavatory to relieve himself. “He was unaware that the door was open and he continued with the act. “The witness was deeply offended. He understands it is wrong. “He is engaging with the Sexual Harm Prevention Order and is reporting to the police station under the Sex Offenders’ Register. “He is complying. It is a shame that this was not before the court in August, so they could have been sentenced in totality.” Davenport was sentenced to 17 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months. He is on the Sex Offenders’ Register for seven years and must pay £85 costs and a £154 surcharge.
