GERALD KELLY OF HULL JAILLED FOR ABUSE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT INCIDENT
An incident at a coffee shop outside Stephen's shopping centre in Hull involved Gerald Kelly, a wheelchair user known for a long history of criminal behavior, causing chaos and assaulting multiple people.Kelly, 62, who has a criminal record of over 170 offenses since 1980—including sexual assault, assaults, and offences related to public order—became aggressive after being refused free drinks at Caffe Nero on December 21.
Charlotte Baines, prosecuting, explained that security staff responded to a disturbance at around 5.45pm.
Kelly was shouting and swearing at staff, calling them names like "Nazi" and "c***," and demanding free beverages.
Prior to the incident, he had been banned from both St Stephen's and the coffee shop.
When asked to leave to calm down, Kelly shouted at a woman, saying: "Nazi b****.
I'm going to kill you," and refused to exit the premises.
He continued to verbally abuse security staff, struggling and lashing out as they attempted to escort him outside.
During the altercation, Kelly hit a female security officer multiple times and used his wheelchair to intentionally strike her as she tried to restrain him.
Despite efforts from two security officers to control him, Kelly remained aggressive and uncooperative.
Kelly sexually assaulted a woman during the disturbance, telling her: "I will f*** you.
It's been a while since I had a girl." He then indecently touched her, putting his arm around her back and grabbing her intimately.
He also spat at her and at a male security officer, hitting them in the face.
Kelly's aggression persisted, and he was eventually restrained and placed in a spit guard before being taken to Clough Road police station.
He continued to behave aggressively at the station.
It was revealed that Kelly’s criminal record includes 172 previous offenses, notably including 24 assault charges, 40 for public order offenses, and multiple breaches of an anti-social behavior order.
Mitigating, Cathy Kioko-Gilligan acknowledged Kelly’s remorse, stating: "He is truly sorry and recognizes that his behavior was abhorrent and disgraceful.
He is remorseful and aware of his long-standing issues with alcohol." She explained that Kelly came to Hull in 2017 and hoped to overcome his problems, particularly his struggle with alcohol, but had been unsuccessful.
Judge Mark Bury addressed Kelly directly, saying: "You were, not for the first time, extremely abusive.
You simply do not know how to behave.
This behavior, whether in a wheelchair or not, is simply intolerable." Concerning the sexual assault, the judge described it as "grossly unpleasant," noting that Kelly had goosed the woman in a humiliating manner.
Kelly was sentenced to 16 months in prison and will be required to register as a sex offender for seven years.
