A 74-year-old man who masturbated next to a woman pushing a pram at a train station has been jailed for eight months. Michael Wainwright exposed himself on the platform at Hebden Bridge station in West Yorkshire on February 22 this year.
Incident and arrest
British Transport Police said that at around midday, a woman approached rail staff to report that Wainwright was masturbating next to another woman who was with a pram. The staff member checked the live CCTV feed and then went onto the platform, where he saw Wainwright had exposed himself. He immediately called police, who arrested Wainwright at the scene.
During police interview, Wainwright admitted the offence and said that although he knew it was wrong, he 'couldn't explain why he had done it'. He also acknowledged that he could have stopped himself but chose not to.
Court proceedings and sentence
Wainwright, of Ashenhurst Road in Calderdale, pleaded guilty to exposure in April 2026. He was sentenced at Bradford Crown Court on June 25 to eight months' imprisonment and handed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
Police response
BTP Detective Constable David Bentley said: "Wainwright's actions were nothing short of horrific. He later admitted to police in interview that he could have stopped himself from acting in the vile manner that he did, but he chose to do so anyway."
Bentley added: "There is absolutely no place on the railway for sexual offending, and we’re committed to securing justice for victims and ensuring offenders like Wainwright have their day in court. Anyone who witnesses a sexual offence on the railway is urged to report it to us immediately by texting 61016. No report is too small or too trivial, and we’ll always take action."
