A man has admitted to exposing himself and sexually assaulting passengers on a bus. Graeme Hicks, 32, of Old Chapel Drive in Stanway was charged after the incident occurred on a bus on the evening of Friday December 27.
Hicks was arrested by officers who boarded the bus in Coggeshall Road, Braintree, shortly before 5.30pm December 27 after reports of a man exposing himself and sexually assaulting passengers.
Hicks was subsequently charged with sexual assault, indecent exposure, three counts of assault by beating of an emergency worker and possession of cannabis. He has now admitted each charge and will be sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court on Monday January 27.
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A spokesperson for Essex Police commented: “If you’ve been affected by this man’s behaviour, whether on a bus or elsewhere in the Colchester and Braintree area, please come forward and speak to us. If there have been other offences, we want to be able to build the strongest possible case against Graeme Hicks to ensure he is dealt with as robustly as possible by the courts.”
Detective Inspector Andy Drake spoke after Hicks’ conviction. DI Drake said: “As this investigation progressed quickly, it became increasingly possible that Hicks’ offending is not restricted to this incident on the bus on 27 December and I would really like to urge anyone who believes they have witnessed or been victim of Hicks’ concerning behaviour prior to this incident to please come forward and report it to us. We want to ensure that those people who exhibit this type of incredibly concerning behaviour are dealt with as robustly as possible when they are put in front of the courts.”
You can contact Essex Police by submitting a report on their website or by using their online Live Chat service which is available 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week. If you would like to make an anonymous report you can contact independent charity @Crimestoppers, by visiting their website or by calling 0800 555 111. Please cite investigation reference 42/193622/24.