Mystery man in rubber gimp suit terrorises villagers
UNTIL a few weeks ago the biggest concern facing residents of the Somerset village of Claverham was the odd missed bin collection.
But that was before a man in a full black rubbery gimp suit began terrorising the community, charging at lone individuals late at night while grunting and breathing heavily.
The mystery offender has targeted at least 14 men and women while dressed in a range of disguises, sending a ripple of fear through Claverham, which has a population of just 2,000.
A woman in her 20s who managed to take a picture of the rubber-clad male before fending him off at about 11.30pm on Thursday was left traumatised and terrified to go out in case he was watching her.
“I was walking along with my torch and looked up to see someone charging at me in a full black rubbery suit,” she told the BBC.
“He kept coming towards me and was touching his groin, grunting and breathing heavy.
“Everything was running through my head. I thought, ‘This is it, I’m going to get attacked’.
“Every time I close my eyes I just see that face.”
A fortnight ago the same man is believed to have chased a young man in the neighbouring village of Yatton.
An employee at That Coffee Place in Yatton, who did not want to be named, said: “It’s just such a sleepy, small place, nothing ever happens there.
“It seems very odd. I can’t help but think he wants to be caught.
“If it was all a joke, it’s clearly gone too far.”
Avon and Somerset Police confirmed last night that a man in his 20s had been arrested on suspicion of indecency offences in two villages about 12 miles from Bristol.
A police spokesman revealed they had received 14 reports of a man approaching people while wearing various disguises, “one of which was a black body suit”.