Mother Targeted While Breastfeeding at Gatwick Airport
A mother feeding her baby at Gatwick Airport was left feeling profoundly insecure in public after a drunken thief seized the opportunity to steal her luggage and her child's backpack. The incident, which occurred on October 30, 2025, unfolded in the South Terminal's baby care room, where the mother-of-two had gone to breastfeed her younger daughter.
The Opportunistic Theft and Damaging Escape
Amy Fraser, prosecuting, explained to the court that the layout of the room forced the mother to leave her pram and luggage just outside the door. It was there that John Brooks, 52, from Crawley, who appeared to be intoxicated, stood by her luggage trolley for a short time before taking it and moving away.
Ms Fraser detailed the getaway: 'He goes through the taxi area and then down to where the exit of the car park is... he ducks down to go under the barrier but it won't move so he uses his head to move the barrier which then bends and breaks.' This act caused £88.30 of criminal damage.
A Life Changed and a Criminal's Record
Although the luggage was later recovered and returned, the emotional damage was done. In a powerful victim impact statement, the mother revealed the lasting effects on her family. She stated that the event has altered 'the way we feel in public spaces, the way we travel and the way my daughter sees the world around her.' Her eight-year-old daughter has since become fearful.
The court heard that the perpetrator, John Brooks, is a repeat offender with a staggering 37 previous convictions for 72 offences, 42 of which are specifically for theft. When he appeared at Crawley Magistrates' Court, he was wearing an orange coat under a black gilet and pleaded guilty to both the theft and the criminal damage.
Brooks was subsequently fined £388.30 by the magistrates bench. He was also ordered to pay £300 in compensation to the victim and £88.30 for the broken security barrier.
