Man jailed after making sexualised and threatening comments towards women

A man who racially abused a shop manager and made sexual comments to women has been locked up – and police are now applying for a criminal behaviour order against him as a further deterrent. 

Darron Bowles made repeated inappropriate comments towards shop workers in Worksop as well as making tongue gestures towards one woman, making her feel uncomfortable, and using threatening language towards others, causing fear and distress. 

Bowles, of no fixed address, committed the public order offences between 30 August and 8 September. 

After investigating reports of his lewd and aggressive behaviour, officers arrested Bowles in Worksop on 10 September. 

The 51-year-old continued to be abusive towards officers after he was taken into custody. He spat at one of them and urinated in his cell. 

Bowles was subsequently charged with a string of offences. 

He pleaded guilty to four counts of using threatening, abusive, or insulting words or behaviour, and further counts of racially aggravated public order, criminal damage, and assault by beating of an emergency worker. 

Bowles, who was also found in breach of a suspended sentence order, was jailed for seven months and two weeks when he appeared at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court for sentencing on Thursday (12 September). 

Worksop PC Kerry Eames, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Bowles’ persistent disgusting behaviour caused significant distress and alarm to innocent women just going about their normal working days. 

“They were also made to feel threatened and intimidated by his torrent of verbal abuse and highly inappropriate sexualised gestures. 

“No-one deserves to be treated in this way and we simply will not tolerate this sort of vile and offensive behaviour in our communities. 

“Bowles now has some time to reflect on his appalling actions while he is behind bars and as a neighbourhood team we are in the process of applying for a criminal behaviour order against him to prevent and deter any further offending.

“I hope the action we are taking offers some reassurance to people in our community that we treat these sorts of offences seriously, and that we will continue to use every tool at our disposal to protect them from harm and prevent offences from occurring.”