A 47-year-old man from Gloucestershire has been sentenced to six weeks in prison following a shocking incident where he defecated on the wall of a local community social club and cleaned himself with a sandwich.
Mark Mortimer, residing on Newland Street, Coleford, was convicted of an act of outraging public decency by Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court on July 1. The disturbing event occurred more than two years ago in Lydbrook, a small village in the Forest of Dean.
During the hearing, Mortimer also admitted to breaking into a cottage in Lydbrook on the same day and stealing a torch. He failed to appear for sentencing in May, resulting in a warrant being issued for his arrest.
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In a separate case, Mortimer pleaded guilty to affray at Coleford, receiving a four-month prison sentence which was partially served prior to his release. The recent six-week sentence for public decency and concurrent sentence for burglary reflect the seriousness of his actions.
On February 13, 2024, officials at the Lydbrook & District Community Social Club recounted Mortimer’s disturbing behavior. He arrived at the club around 8:30 pm, acting strangely and speaking incoherently. After requesting to use the toilet, where he spent several minutes, he emerged behaving erratically.
The club’s spokeswoman described Mortimer’s conduct as “bizarre,” noting he asked for a drink but admitted he had no money. He also made alarming claims about having a bomb, although staff confirmed it was a large metal ball.
Staff members attempted to discreetly close the club early to encourage Mortimer to leave. However, he instead went outside and defecated on the club’s wall, wiping himself with a sandwich taken from a bag he carried. The incident left the staff “mortified” and stunned by the sheer disgust of his actions.
Police responded promptly and arrested Mortimer near the scene. This unusual and offensive episode has now resulted in his imprisonment, closing a troubling chapter for the community.