A Brighton man has been given a prison sentence for harassing and nuisance behaviour towards women in the city, following an investigation.
Jamie Lee Parsons, 31, unemployed of Stanley Court, Lewes Road, Brighton, pleaded guilty at Hove Crown Court on Tuesday 1 March to causing a public nuisance by making sexual and other offensive and inappropriate comments to female supermarket staff, customers, and females on the street in Lewes Road between May and October 2021.
He was sentenced to eight months imprisonment and was given a restraining order to last indefinitely, prohibiting him from entering the two shops, loitering outside them, and from contacting or following the women involved.
Parsons pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting one of the women involved, but her evidence was included in the conviction and sentencing of public nuisance and the separate charge of sexual assault by touching will lay on the court file.
Initially one of the shops had reported Parsons to the police, but he had not been identified.
Through CCTV footage and accounts from female victims, it was ascertained that he lived nearby and he was arrested.
An investigation began, during which police found that he'd approached several women, some of whom hadn't reported his behaviour and some of whom had been unable to identify him.
However, through extensive investigation, police managed to link Parsons to the offences partly with the help of CCTV.
Parson’s behaviour had been to harass women unknown to him, making inappropriate comments, asking for their personal details, making sexual comments and even following some of them. This caused the 10 identified victims to feel fear and distress, and some felt unsafe leaving their place of work.
He initially denied the charges in court but, when faced with CCTV evidence, he eventually pleaded guilty.
Detective Inspector Simon Morgan said:
"We will always seek to take action on reports of inappropriate and offensive behaviour towards women and girls, and will do all we can to prosecute offenders and bring them to justice.
"If you are subject of offensive and inappropriate contact and comments in the street or other public places, we can investigate and take action if there is sufficient evidence. Please contact us either online or by calling 101.”
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