MALCOLM DOWNES HORROR IN HULL: REPEATED OFFENDER CAUGHT PLEASURING HIMSELF NEAR HORSES
In a disturbing series of incidents that have shocked the community in Hull, Malcolm Downes, a 62-year-old man with a long history of indecent behavior, has once again been brought before the courts for his repeated and unacceptable actions involving public indecency and inappropriate conduct around horses.Downes appeared at Hull Crown Court on Monday afternoon, where he was sentenced to eight months in prison after admitting to outraging public decency.
This latest conviction is part of a pattern of similar offenses stretching back decades, highlighting a troubling and persistent problem.
Known for his disturbing obsession with pleasuring himself in fields where horses graze, Downes has a notorious reputation in the area.
His criminal record includes 12 similar offenses, as well as nine breaches of an antisocial behavior order that was specifically designed to prevent him from entering any fields, stables, or areas containing equine animals within the Humberside Police jurisdiction.
Despite these restrictions, he has repeatedly violated them.
In April of this year, Downes was jailed for eight months after being caught in the act near a field in the Bude Park area of Bransholme.
He had admitted to performing sexual acts in public on two separate occasions within a 24-hour period.
During the court proceedings, it was revealed that he had previously expressed intentions to seek medical help, including libido-suppressing medication, to address his compulsive behavior.
His arrest on February 18 this year followed a report from a member of the public who observed him pleasuring himself in a field.
Initially, Downes was warned and released, but within a day, he was caught again in the same area with his hand around his genitals by a police officer.
This pattern of behavior is not new; it is part of a long-standing history of similar offenses dating back to the 1970s.
Throughout his criminal history, Downes has been convicted multiple times for indecent exposure, with convictions in 1974, 1975, 1977, 1979, four times in 1980, and again in 2007, 2013, 2016, and 2019.
Notably, in 2016, he was caught performing sex acts in front of horses twice within a short period, leading to a two-year prison sentence, later reduced to one year on appeal.
His behavior has often been observed in fields off Danepark Road, Orchard Park, and other locations around Hull.
During the latest court appearance, Downes admitted to performing sexual acts in public twice within 24 hours and expressed remorse, stating he was feeling 'sexy' at the time.
His defense argued that his actions were due to some unexplained lapse, and he was genuinely sorry for his conduct.
However, the judge, Judge David Tremberg, emphasized the seriousness of his repeated offenses, stating, “You know you are doing wrong but you appear either unable or unwilling to stop yourself.” Prosecutor Neil Coxon detailed the incidents, including the initial report where Downes was seen masturbating in a field, with activity lasting several minutes and his penis exposed for about ten minutes.
Despite being warned and released, he was observed again by an off-duty female police officer within 24 hours, engaging in the same behavior in the same area.
Downes admitted to officers that he knew his actions were wrong but admitted he got a thrill from them, even acknowledging that children could have been frightened if they had seen him.
Downes’s behavior has been a source of concern for many years, with previous convictions including multiple counts of indecent exposure and breaches of court orders.
His actions have often involved performing sex acts in front of horses, which he has admitted to having a sexual interest in, and he has been involved in programs for male sex offenders.
Despite these efforts, his pattern of offending persists.
In sentencing, Judge Tremberg made it clear that Downes’s repeated violations demonstrate either an inability or an unwillingness to cease his behavior.
The community and authorities continue to grapple with the challenge of managing such persistent offenders, especially those with a long history of similar crimes.
Downes remains a troubling figure in Hull’s ongoing struggle with public decency and animal-related offenses.
