Bus pervert jailed yet again for boarding Wakefield service

A pervert with a history of groping lone females on public transport has been jailed again after being caught boarding buses in Wakefield.
Poundford has been warned to stay off public transport.Poundford has been warned to stay off public transport.
Poundford has been warned to stay off public transport.

Neil Poundford was jailed in 2017 and given a 10-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) after being convicted of sexually assaulting two females.

It banned him from travelling on buses alone and sitting near lone females.

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But the 60-year-old was caught twice getting onto a bus in the last two months.

First he was spotted by a council officer boarding a service on Barnsley Road in Wakefield on July 15. He was also seen approaching a female at the bus stop before walking away.

He was then seen by police getting on a bus on Ings Road on August 7. He was arrested when he got off at Wakefield Westgate.

It follows a breach in May of last year when he boarded a bus just a week after being released from his 2017 sentence, and was sent straight back to prison.

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In May of this year he was jailed again for getting on a Wakefield service.

Appearing in custody via video link at Leeds Crown Court today to face his latest charges, Poundford admitted two the two counts of breaching his SHPO.

He repeatedly rejected offers of legal representation, saying: “It's an open and shut case, whatever punishment you decide is good enough for me.

“I’ve been stupid, I’m my own worst enemy. That’s it in a nutshell. I have no intention of touching women again because I have learnt my lesson. Unfortunately I have not learnt my lesson in getting on buses.”

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Poundford, of Manygates Lane in Wakefield, admitted that he did approach the female at the bus stop on July 15, but only asked her for the time because he wanted to get home to watch a TV programme.

Judge Simon Phillips QC jailed him for 12 months saying: “You accept that a prison sentence is inevitable.

“I note your apology and regret. It gives us cause for hope that you will change your ways.”

Before being led away, Poundford said: “I shall not be challenging that sentence because I think it’s very, very fair.”