Winsford man twice caught performing sex act in Vauxhall

Banny Sephton, of Wolvesey Place in Winsford, has been handed a suspended prison sentence after pleading guilty to two acts of outraging public decency.

The near-identical incidents took place more than two months apart with both involving the now 29-year-old performing the sex act in his car in High Street before being caught by the same teenage girl.

Sentencing Sephton at Chester Crown Court on Monday (October 28), judge Steven Everett said: “This is a complex case. The charges are very straightforward and if you had admitted it earlier you might have been dealt with by the magistrates.

“But sometimes committing these offences is difficult to admit to yourself and your family.”

Rose Proctor, prosecuting, explained the teenage victim had been walking alone down High Street at around 11.30am on September 3, 2023.

She noticed a silver Vauxhall parked outside the Your Local convenience shop which resembled one her father had.

As she passed the vehicle she looked in and saw Sephton fully reclined, lying on his back, pleasuring himself.

Ms Proctor said Sephton made eye contact with the girl but didn’t stop what he was doing.

The victim ran to her boyfriend's where she contacted the police and told them the last three letters of the registration which she could remember.

Police weren’t able to identify the suspect at that time and the case was closed.

Sephton was twice caught in his car outside Your Local on High Street, Winsford (Image: Google Maps)

Then, on November 29, the same girl was walking down the same road, this time with her younger sister.

She spotted the Vauxhall parked in the same place and on this occasion the younger sister looked in and saw Sephton again performing a sex act on himself.

The older sister called her dad and filmed the car as it drove away, later handing over the full registration to the police.

Sephton was arrested soon after at Chester Racecourse.

When interviewed, he said he remembered the girls but denied carrying out the sex act.

He eventually pleaded guilty at the pre-trial preparation hearing on August 6, 2024.

Ms Proctor added Sephton has no previous convictions but was cautioned in 2013, also for performing a sex act on himself in public.

Reading a statement on the victim’s behalf, she said: “The offences caused me to be very wary when walking past the shop. I no longer feel safe when walking past the shop.”

Defending, Colin Buckle said there was ‘so much positive’ about the pre-sentence report which had been prepared.

“Everything points to compliance and successful intervention,” he added.

The court also heard how Sephton’s mental health had been suffering, dating back to an unspecified incident when he was a small child.

Judge Everett sentenced Sephton to three months imprisonment, suspended for two years.

He said: “This was a very distressing incident for two young girls.

“I don’t think you intended for the same girl to walk by but as it turns out the same victim did walk by.

“It will have an effect on them, hopefully not a long term one. You should have thought about that.”

Judge Everett also ordered Sephton to complete a six-month mental health treatment, 26 days of the Building Better Choices programme, and 25 days of rehabilitation activity.

“It is clear to me you need assistance in the future to address issues in the past and issues going forward,” Mr Everett added.

“You are someone who wants to confront your behaviour and move forward to become a decent member of society, this gives you that choice.”

Sephton must also pay £750 in costs within three months.