Reece Stutt, 26, regularly harassed a woman and her daughter as they walked to school, by repeatedly jumping out of the bushes and taking his top off. He has now been sentenced
A man has been given 20 days’ rehabilitation and a five-year restraining order after his disturbing actions left a mother and daughter “fearful and upset”. Hull Crown Court heard how Reece Stutt, 26, regularly harassed the woman as she walked her little girl to school by suddenly leaping out of bushes and removing his top.
Prosecutor Benjamin Donnell told the court that, at the time of the repeated incidents, the woman would walk her daughter to school along a cycle path in east Hull. To her horror, Stutt would make regular appearances on her route, and would either emerge from bushes or stand on the cycle path the pair needed to walk down. It appeared that Stutt had worked out the times she would be walking in that area.
READ MORE: “My depression spiralled”: Women speak out after vile Essex man jailed for sharing deepfake images
HullLive reports that every time the worried mother saw Stutt, he would take his top off and would also slightly expose the top edge of his groin area, and she feared his actions would well escalate.
Describing Stutt’s behaviour as “a persistent course of conduct”, Mr Donnell said: “She, of course, feared that his conduct would escalate and that he would assault her in some way, but he never did. Despite the fear that it caused her, he never did lay a finger on her.”
Stutt, who the court heard had no previous convictions, admitted to harassing a woman between May 1 and 22, 2023, but denied putting her in fear of violence by harassment. The prosecution accepted his guilty plea to the lesser offence.
Rachel Scott, mitigating, stated that the encounters happened some time ago, telling the court: “There has been no problem since.”
Addressing Stutt, Judge John Thackray KC said: “Your conduct was extremely upsetting. You never did physically harm the complainant but it was understandable that she was fearful and upset by your conduct. That was almost two years ago and there has been no problem since. Make sure there is no repetition of this behaviour.”
Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com
READ MORE: Shots fired at Bootle property as ‘little girl was playing in front garden’
