Wales: Man sentenced to 8 months in prison for sexual advances on gay taxi driver
A man who made sexual advances towards a gay taxi driver while under the influence of alcohol and cocaine has been jailed for eight months.
John Hutchinson, of Rhyl, Wales, denied a charge of sexual touching but was later convicted by a jury.
Branded a bully by the judge at Mold Crown Court, the incident was said to have involved repeated sexual advances towards a vulnerable victim who was simply trying to do his job.
Mr Hutchinson, 39, was under the influence of both alcohol and cocaine at the time of the incident, which took place in the early hours of Christmas Day, 2012.
The trial was told the defendant had been rebuked by two women he had contacted earlier before turning his attention to the taxi driver.
Mr Hutchinson was said to have directed a number of lewd gestures and suggestions toward the taxi driver, before grabbing him repeatedly in his crotch area.
The court heard the defendant began to unbutton the driver’s pants before threatening to throw him over the bonnet of his taxi.
Frightened and intimidated, the driver made an emergency call to the police and was said to be too scared to know what to do.
Judge Niclas Parry said the defendant was seriously under the influence of alcohol and class “A” drugs.
“He was vulnerable, alone, gay and you decided to have some sport with him,” the judge said.
“The victim was serving the public at an hour and on a day that many others would not want to do so.”
