UPDATE: Chippenham sex offender pictured for first time after prison release
A naked old man masturbated at numerous schoolgirls outside his Chippenham bungalow on at least six different occasions over the past year.
Eleven girls, aged between nine and 15, were targeted by Graham Bridgeman in Allington Way, Swindon Crown Court heard today (Thursday).
Most cases were similar in nature and involved the 65-year-old pervert standing at his garden gate naked from the waist down whilst touching his penis with vigour.
The offences happened on 13 June 2022, 12 July 2022, 14 July 2022, 9 September 2022, 27 May 2023 and 7 June 2023 – many occurred when the youngsters were walking either to or from school.
Crown prosecutor Jack Barry said that during one of the incidents a 13-year-old girl “told the defendant off” and he “took issue with that and chased her down the street”.
On another date, Bridgeman was naked and masturbating at a group of four girls – all aged 11 to 12.
Following the most recent incident, in June this year, police officers went to speak to the defendant in The Black Horse pub garden. They asked him to come with them quietly, given the nature of the allegations.
Instead, Bridgeman lashed out – stabbing PC Rogers in the face with a pen, which only just missed their eye.
Addressing Her Honour Recorder Jodie Mittell, defence solicitor Richard Williams said that his client “saved a great deal of youngsters coming to a trial situation” by pleading guilty to his crimes.
Adding that the judge “won’t be impressed with some of the comments made” in the pre-sentence report – where Bridgeman effectively refused to undertake any rehabilitation work.
He said the defendant – who appeared on prison video link – walks with a stick, has arthritis and diabetes and has “struggled with being on remand” in custody for the past three months.
He said his client is an “isolated man who has lived on his own for a very long time”.
Mr Williams told the court that Bridgeman’s brother and sister were very supportive of him, provided glowing character references and were sitting in the public gallery today.
Sentencing him for six counts of indecent exposure and one count of assaulting an emergency worker, Recorder Mittell imposed a 48-week prison sentence. He will be released from prison on licence in about eleven weeks, having already served time on remand.
She said that the court could have considered a suspended sentence order but that was not possible due to his refusal to work with the probation service – who now say there’s a “high risk of you reoffending” and they “cannot manage you in the community”.
Bridgeman was ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years. Recorder Mittell also imposed as ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order – which prohibits him from unsupervised contact with children under the age of 16. He’s also banned from going within 100 metres of a school and can’t loiter near children, amongst many other terms.
