MICHAEL COHEN PORTSLADE SHOCKING PUBLIC INDECENCY INCIDENT AT EAST HILL PARK

In December 2017, a disturbing incident unfolded at East Hill Park in Portslade, where a father recounted witnessing a man engaging in inappropriate behavior in a public space frequented by children. The individual involved was identified as Michael Cohen, a 53-year-old salesman, who was seen dressed in a sports bra and leggings while performing a sex act on himself in broad daylight.

According to the witness, John Bancroft, he had dropped his son off at the Bee in the Woods playgroup located within the park. Afterward, he parked his vehicle nearby and observed Cohen in a distressing act. Bancroft described seeing Cohen pull down his underwear and begin masturbating in front of the children and their accompanying adults. The scene was witnessed by around 15 children aged between two and four, along with their mothers and two staff members overseeing the playgroup.

Mr. Bancroft recounted to the court, “When I got back to the car facing the bench I saw a man wearing women’s sport clothing. It appears he had a lady sports crop top and leggings. He then started rearranging himself. He faced towards me and the park and pulled down his red knickers and started masturbating.”

Following the incident, Bancroft promptly contacted the police, leading to Cohen’s arrest. During the court proceedings at Brighton Magistrates Court, Cohen admitted to the act but denied any sexual intent, claiming that his actions were solely due to a medical condition. Cohen explained that he has a chronic fungal infection, athlete’s foot, which causes excruciating discomfort, especially during the summer months. He stated that he had skipped a day off work to go for a run in the park, wearing a crop top that exposed his belly fat and tight running gear. Cohen claimed that he pulled down his leggings merely to scratch himself and that there was no sexual motivation behind his actions.

He demonstrated to the court how he had scratched himself, explaining, “I have had athlete’s foot and in the summer months it is excruciating and leave me in terrible pain. Sometimes I had to go to work with no pants on. I decided it was painful at the time and I couldn’t run. I pulled my leggings down.” When questioned by his solicitor, Christopher Prior, Cohen admitted he looked around to see if anyone was nearby but claimed he did not see anyone and was unaware of the playgroup’s presence.

It was also revealed that Cohen had a history of similar incidents. In June 2016, he was reported to have been seen touching himself in a park near a playgroup, and in September of the same year, a neighbor observed him masturbating in the street during the early hours. Despite these reports, Sussex Police had previously only issued a verbal warning after Cohen presented his medical records, and no formal action was taken at that time.

Ultimately, Cohen, of Oakdene Crescent in Portslade, pleaded guilty to the charge of outraging public decency, though he maintained that he was not masturbating with sexual intent. The court considered his claims but could not be certain beyond reasonable doubt that he was engaging in a sexual act. As a result, Cohen was sentenced to a 12-month community order, which includes 80 hours of unpaid community service. Additionally, he was ordered to pay costs of £170 and a victim surcharge. The incident has also led to Cohen losing his job, highlighting the serious repercussions of his actions in a public setting.