MICHAEL JONES SHOCKS STROUD AND QUEDGELEY WITH SEXUAL OFFENSES AT POLICE STATION AND PUBLIC PLACES

In a series of disturbing incidents that have shocked the community of Stroud and Quedgeley, Michael Jones, aged 22, was found to have committed multiple sexual offenses over a span of a few hours. The events unfolded on August 20, with Jones engaging in inappropriate and criminal behavior in public and police premises, leading to his subsequent arrest and court proceedings.

Earlier that day, Jones approached an eight-year-old girl at the Rowcroft Lloyds bank, located near a cash machine in Stroud. During this encounter, he asked her, “Can I come home with you?” The child's family and witnesses described Jones's behavior as peculiar and unsettling. The girl, understandably frightened by his question, was accompanied by her aunt, who intervened when Jones sat down next to her on a bench in King Street at approximately 4:30 pm. The prosecutor, Rebecca Sutherland, explained that Jones was sitting very close to an 11-year-old girl, with their legs touching, which made the young girl feel extremely uncomfortable.

According to Ms. Sutherland, the girl’s aunt, noticing Jones’s strange conduct, asked him what he was doing and then swapped places with her niece to protect her. Despite this, Jones continued his inappropriate behavior by sitting up and touching the woman’s leg. He then moved his hand underneath her coat and felt her buttocks, prompting her to jump up and shout, “What are you doing?” Jones responded with a disturbing remark, saying, “I just wanted to get close to you.”

Following these incidents, Jones was arrested on August 31 and taken to Compass House police station in Quedgeley. While in custody, his behavior did not improve. Ms. Sutherland detailed that Jones attempted to kiss a female officer during the booking process. Later, he engaged in further inappropriate conduct by masturbating in his cell, despite being warned not to do so. His actions in the police station were deemed to be highly inappropriate and concerning.

After reviewing the case, the magistrates at Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court decided that Jones required psychiatric intervention. Dr. Laidlaw recommended that he be admitted to a hospital for psychiatric treatment until he is deemed fit to be discharged. The court imposed a hospital order on Jones, along with a requirement to register as a sex offender for five years. Magistrate Natalie Hunt emphasized the seriousness of his actions and the need for treatment, ensuring that appropriate measures are taken to protect the public from future offenses.