Latex-clad prowler in Avon and Sommerset

[almagata]

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9980085/Somerset-gimp-Fears-latex-clad-prowler-terrorised-village-two-years-ago-returned.html?fbclid=IwAR0xXIAFijT0FKNXj6uNRc2Fex_eXzNeGNVgS0ObywQsRwxNEpGIj2S8tkM

West Country locals fear a latex-clad prowler who terrorised them at night two years ago may have returned amid reports of a 'masked man' spying on a couple through their window in the early hours.

In the latest reported incident, a couple claimed they were watching TV when they noticed a masked man lying in their garden watching them through the French doors.

Avon and Somerset Police were called to a house in the village of Claverham on September 1 at 00.15am but were 'unable to locate the man'.

Writing online, a woman who said she spotted the man - in a 'ski-type' mask - earlier this month appealed for doorbell or CCTV footage.
A 'masked man' was spotted spying on a couple through their window at midnight in the village of Claverham, Somerset, on September 1, leaving locals fearing the 'gimp man' has returned (picture of the man in a full body suit taken by a victim in July 2019)


A 'masked man' was spotted spying on a couple through their window at midnight in the village of Claverham, Somerset, on September 1, leaving locals fearing the 'gimp man' has returned (picture of the man in a full body suit taken by a victim in July 2019)

She wrote: 'A man in some kind of mask was led on the floor watching us through our French doors.'

She said the man 'legged it' when her husband chased him.

The sighting has left residents worried that the 'gimp man' who terrorised the nearby villages of Claverham and Yatton has returned, with locals speculating it was the same person from incidents two years ago.

One wrote online: 'He's back....'

Since November 2018, there have been over 14 reports of a person dressed in disguises approaching people at night in the village.

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[sammyt]

This guy looks terrifying... I wonder if he has a motorbike ready to escape... put a crash helmet on him and he might look like a biker in leathers.

I doubt if he's escaping a great distance on foot or bicycle dressed like that.

He seems to have stopped offending during the covid lockdowns, so perhaps he is commuting by motorbike/car to peep, but knew he couldn't be seen on the road full stop during this time.

Perhaps he lives with parents, a partner or even housemates... and lost his job or got put on furlough, and no longer had an excuse to leave the house, even after the lockdowns.

As the furlough scheme ends, the guy resumes work, and the gimp re-emerges.

If so, then he may work a night time job, which allows him an excuse to be out of the house. A lot of night time businesses have only recently started re-opening. Prolific nocturnal offenders almost always seem to work night jobs!

IMO this guy could easily escalate, as he has already shown sexualised behaviour. His outfit doesn't seem practical, but it still allows him to avoid being caught on CCTV, to scare victims if glimpsed, and to escape on foot if spotted, so maybe the gimp suit has it's MO reasons after all.

He's already been active for three years so that means he's probably organised and older than a teenager.

[almagata]

Sept 13, 2021 20:34:12 GMT sammyt said:

This guy looks terrifying... I wonder if he has a motorbike ready to escape... put a crash helmet on him and he might look like a biker in leathers.

I doubt if he's escaping a great distance on foot or bicycle dressed like that.

He seems to have stopped offending during the covid lockdowns, so perhaps he is commuting by motorbike/car to peep, but knew he couldn't be seen on the road full stop during this time.

Perhaps he lives with parents, a partner or even housemates... and lost his job or got put on furlough, and no longer had an excuse to leave the house, even after the lockdowns.

As the furlough scheme ends, the guy resumes work, and the gimp re-emerges.

If so, then he may work a night time job, which allows him an excuse to be out of the house. A lot of night time businesses have only recently started re-opening. Prolific nocturnal offenders almost always seem to work night jobs!

IMO this guy could easily escalate, as he has already shown sexualised behaviour. His outfit doesn't seem practical, but it still allows him to avoid being caught on CCTV, to scare victims if glimpsed, and to escape on foot if spotted, so maybe the gimp suit has it's MO reasons after all.

He's already been active for three years so that means he's probably organised and older than a teenager.

I agree. I think he definitely has the capacity to escalate to home invasion attacks with the behavior he has shown. 

When I saw the picture, the first thing that crossed my mind was cos-play and comic book characters but your thoughts about a motorcycle is a good one. 

I'd be creeped out if I lived near this. 

[sammyt]

In the fetish world, gimps are submissive, passive and can only watch. They are restrained by their gimp suits, which of course can't easily just be taken on or off.

It's when this guy stops wearing the gimp suit (and changes to dark trousers and a balaclava) that we need to really worry.

[almagata]

Sept 15, 2021 8:47:02 GMT sammyt said:

In the fetish world, gimps are submissive, passive and can only watch. They are restrained by their gimp suits, which of course can't easily just be taken on or off.

It's when this guy stops wearing the gimp suit (and changes to dark trousers and a balaclava) that we need to really worry.

For all the deviant sex stuff I have read about over the decades, I did not know that about gimp suits. 

You learn something every day. 

[sammyt]

Most of my gimp related knowledge comes from Pulp Fiction... honest

The wider gimp community has condemned the 'gimp man': metro.co.uk/2019/07/19/gimps-want-people-know-not-creeps-10426768/

The article mentions that a gimp suit can cost up to £500, so that may tell us something about the socio-economic status of the 'gimp man'...

[sammyt]

There are quite a few fetish clubs in the area: www.fetish.com/uk/somerset/locations/

Four of them are within 10km of Claverham (two in Weston-super-Mare, just 5km away).

Most of the fetish clubs are south of Claverham and close to the M5 motorway.

I wonder if the perp visits fetish clubs and then commits his early hour offences on the way home.

The police should check the times/dates of the offences with the opening times of the local fetish clubs. The offences stop when the clubs are closed during the great pandemic.

[almagata]

I've always felt that whatever consenting adults want to do is fine with me.

I think a body suit made of rubber would be really sweaty. They must have to keep the temperature in those clubs cold.

Your thought that he is creeping on his way home would make sense. I hope he is one of the guys that just likes to watch and does not have a more violent fantasy or that he found some other way to meet his voyeur needs.

[sammyt]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-63393521

Police make an arrest in the gimp man case...

[andrew]

interesting

[andrew]

interesting. I dont see this as a massive crime tbh maybe he needs community service or something

[andrew]

Hopefully he will be unmasked soon. Iv followed this case for years so im curious. He might be part of a team or on his own. He is under bail so hes not seen as a big risk

[sammyt]

Oct 27, 2022 16:33:10 GMT andrew said:

interesting. I dont see this as a massive crime tbh maybe he needs community service or something

Maybe,, but such an offender could escalate. 

I doubt if it's local teenagers playing pranks myself.

I think these crimes are sexual in nature,  similar to flashing, where offenders get off on the fearful reactions of victims. 

The offender is also compulsive.  He can't stop reoffending even when he is featured in the media.  He lays low but reemerges rather than quitting whilst ahead.

Another option is a local terrorist, older guy type eith a grudge, trying to scare the local community.

Probably someone who needs specialised treatment .  I would guess him following women in isolated areas dressed as a gimp will probably result in more than community service.  

[andrew]

wonder who he is? I want to see him iv followed this for years

[sammyt]

Oct 27, 2022 19:52:13 GMT andrew said:

wonder who he is? I want to see him iv followed this for years

I didn't know you followed this case... Interesting to see what age this suspect is, and if he is local or commuting in.

I wonder if he has a black eye or two in his mug shot, caught by members of the public.  The arrest details are somewhat vague...