November 2017 Pervert caught pleasuring himself in a children’s playground A pervert caught pleasuring himself in a children’s playground full of little girls was today told he will NOT go to prison. Convicted sex offender John Gaunt of Redshank Lane, Birchwood, Warrington was due to stand trial over a sickening incident on a housing estate in Warrington A resident spotted the 31-year-old touching himself in a play area off Woodpecker Close in Birchwood and called police. The 31-year-old denied a charge of outraging public decency by masturbating in a public place on March 26 this year. But this morning he asked the judge for an indication of the likely maximum sentence he would receive if he pleaded guilty. Judge Alan Conrad, QC, said: “The allegation is one of rubbing his genitalia in public.” Mr Rawson said according to sentencing guidelines, the crime fell into a category with a starting point of a community order. The lawyer said the range of sentence suggested within the guidelines for the offence had a maximum of 22 weeks in prison. He accepted the offence was aggravated by Gaunt’s previous convictions, for which he is on the Sex Offenders Register. Judge Conrad said: “If he were to plead guilty at this stage, any sentence of imprisonment would not be immediate, but would be coupled with appropriate conditions.” Gaunt, with short black hair, goatee beard and wearing a long black jacket in the dock, spoke only to enter his guilty plea. The judge requested a pre-sentence report to help him consider the appropriate punishment and adjourned sentencing until December 8. He remanded Gaunt on conditional bail, which includes conditions that he must not enter any children’s play area or Woodpecker Close.