A 36-YEAR-OLD man who drove around areas in Keighley and Halifax before performing sexual acts on himself in his car has been jailed for two years.
In January 2024, Robert Gibson, who had no previous convictions, drove by two teenage girls after they left their school and were waiting to be picked up at a junction in Keighley.
Judge Roger Thomas KC said the window of the defendant’s car was wound down and Gibson smiled as performed a sex act on himself.
Bradford Crown Court heard that the girls were shocked and upset and they reported the incident to a teacher the next day.
The judge said police in Keighley made some inquiries and Gibson’s car was seen in CCTV, but they failed to pursue the investigation.
Later that year – in June – a woman in Halifax was drawing the curtains at her home when she saw Gibson’s car parked near to a school bus stop in the morning.
Again, Gibson had his penis exposed and was performing a sexual act on himself in the vehicle.
Judge Thomas said Gibson– of North Light Place, Haworth – drove off, but returned in his car as a group of girls was crossing the road.
The woman reported the incident to the police and officers in Halifax were able to link it to the earlier offence in Keighley.
Gibson – who the judge said was of previous good character – was found guilty last November, following a trial, of two charges of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child and one offence of outraging public decency.
At the sentencing hearing, Gibson's barrister Derek Duffy urged Judge Thomas to consider imposing a suspended sentence, but the judge said the case had involved “serious sexual misbehaviour”.
The judge said there may have been a time when an offence of exposure or “flashing” was somehow seen as a nuisance type of offence, but that was entirely wrong.
The judge said he had no doubt that Gibson had been “touring” around so he could indulge himself in such "sexual misbehaviour".
As part of his sentence, Gibson will now have to register as a sex offender with the police for the next 10 years and he must also comply with the terms of a restraining order banning any contact with the complainants.
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