A man who was seen performing a solo sexual act in a car beside a Wakefield play area while children were present has been jailed after a judge activated an earlier suspended sentence and imposed further time behind bars.
Incident prompted by a resident’s footage
The defendant, 38-year-old Glen Russell, was observed in his grey Citroën DS3 on the evening of 7 August, having visited his mother’s home in the Wakefield area earlier that day. A resident heard the car idling and looked out of a window, seeing Russell in the driver’s seat touching himself while repeatedly glancing in the direction of children in the adjacent park. The resident began filming the incident before Russell drove away.
Police arrested Russell about a week later. He was remanded in custody at HMP Leeds and appeared at Leeds Crown Court by video link. The court heard that he refused to answer police questions but later read a letter of apology he had written, in which he said he believed a conversation with a casual sexual partner explained his behaviour and that he thought he could not be seen.
Previous suspended sentence activated
Russell had been given a nine-month suspended sentence at Sheffield Crown Court in July after being found to have downloaded hundreds of abusive images and for attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child. Because of the August incident in Wakefield, Recorder Ruwena Khan decided the suspended sentence should be activated, and she added further custody for the latest offence.
“I can’t see how you failed to notice they [the children] were there, in a field next to your car,” the judge said, expressing concern that he was repeatedly looking towards the youngsters.
The judge described Russell’s conduct as particularly worrying given his very recent convictions for child sexual offending. The court imposed an overall custodial term of 11 months — the original nine-month suspended sentence activated in full, plus a further two months for the outraging public decency charge. Russell was unrepresented at the hearing.
Facts of the case
- Defendant: Glen Russell, 38.
- Location: Beside a play park in the Wakefield area; visited his mother’s home earlier the same evening.
- Date and time: Incident occurred on 7 August at about 8pm.
- Vehicle: Grey Citroën DS3.
- Action: Performing a solo sex act while looking in the direction of children; filmed by a resident.
- Court outcome: Arrested a week later; appeared from HMP Leeds; nine-month suspended sentence activated and an extra two months imposed, totalling 11 months’ imprisonment.
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Initial sentence (July) | 9-month suspended sentence (Sheffield Crown Court) |
| August offence | Outraging public decency beside park (children present) |
| Sentence imposed (Leeds Crown Court) | 9 months activated + 2 months additional = 11 months custody |
Prosecutor Nick Murphy told the court that the resident began filming because she was shocked to see Russell’s behaviour and that he repeatedly looked towards where the children were playing. Russell later said in his letter that he felt profound shame and claimed he had not realised he could be seen. The judge rejected that explanation.
Local residents are likely to be alarmed by the circumstances: the offence took place in broad daylight in a public space used by families, and it occurred shortly after the defendant’s earlier convictions for child sexual offences. The court’s decision to activate the suspended sentence and add further custodial time reflects the seriousness with which the judiciary treated both the original offending and the later public indecency.
Police and community groups often advise members of the public to report suspicious or concerning behaviour around parks and play areas. In this case, the prompt action of a resident who recorded the incident provided material that contributed to the arrest and prosecution. The conviction will be seen by parents and local campaigners as a reminder of vulnerabilities that can exist even in familiar local spaces.
The criminal record and immediate custody imposed will now form part of Russell’s legal history. He remains in custody at HMP Leeds following the hearing.
