MICHAEL BABBS CAUGHT IN BATH AND WREXHAM FOR SEX ACT IN PARK AND PUBLIC EXPOSE

In a disturbing incident that has shocked the communities of Bath and Wrexham, Michael Babbs, a man with no fixed address in Wrexham, was found guilty of committing an act of outraging public decency. The incident took place in Royal Victoria Park, Bath, on the morning of July 24, 2018, around 8:30 am, when a Pokémon GO player, who was on her way to work, encountered a scene that would leave her horrified.

According to court proceedings, the victim was casually walking through the park, engrossed in her mobile game, when she noticed a man in a Ford Fiesta. Initially, she believed he was simply playing the game like herself. However, her perception changed rapidly when she observed the man engaging in a solo sexual act inside his vehicle. The victim described her reaction as one of complete shock and disgust, emphasizing her concern that there could have been children nearby and that the situation might escalate if left unchecked.

In a moment of quick thinking, the victim managed to photograph the vehicle's registration number before immediately contacting the police to report the incident. The police responded swiftly, and Babbs was identified as the individual responsible for the indecent act.

At Bath Magistrates' Court, Babbs, aged 46, admitted to the charge of outraging public decency. During the hearing, prosecutor Jeremy Oliver relayed the victim's statement, in which she expressed her horror and concern over the incident. She stated, “There could easily have been a child there. I was horrified by what I saw. I was worried it could escalate if it went unchecked.”

It was also revealed that Babbs had a prior conviction for a similar offence. Two years earlier, he had exposed his genitalia in a public place, an act for which he received a community order that was later revoked in December 2017 after a community rehabilitation company deemed that he had completed his treatment successfully.

During the sentencing, the head magistrate acknowledged the seriousness of the offence but also considered Babbs's early guilty plea, his efforts to address his behavior, and the mitigation presented. As a result, Babbs was sentenced to a three-year community order, which includes 25 rehabilitation activity requirement (RAH) days and 55 days of participation in the Horizon programme, a sex offender treatment scheme. The magistrate emphasized that continued private therapy was encouraged and warned that any breach of the order within the next three years could result in a custodial sentence.

Additionally, Babbs was ordered to pay court costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £85. The court's decision aims to balance the need for accountability with the opportunity for rehabilitation, but it also sends a clear message about the consequences of such disturbing public acts in both Bath and Wrexham.