Mute sex offender writes court note stating: ‘I need help’
A mute sex offender threatened a woman on a bus by passing her a note, a court heard.
Karl Martin, 55, who has a genetic condition called torsion dystonia, admitted stalking two women and sexually assaulting one of them.
He was due to be sentenced at Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court but Martin and his defence barrister attended via video-link – and were unable to communicate.
Martin wrote notes and held them up to the camera, but it was impossible to make out what he was trying to say.
A guard at HMP Wandsworth came into the room to read out one one which said: ‘I need help.’
Judge Marcus Tregilgas-Davey decided it would be inappropriate to sentence Martin while his defence barrister, Julia Mackworth, could only make submissions over a muffled CVP link.
He said: ‘I’m not sentencing someone when I struggle to hear submissions from defence over a very poor line.’
Ms Mackworth said Martin must be produced in court next time so that she can properly communicate with him.
Martin had targeted a passenger on a 131 bus from Raynes Park to Kingston in March 2008.
He passed her a note which read: ‘Sit next to me. Get off the bus with me.
‘I have a gun so act normal.’
Martin then reached across and touched the woman’s groin before leaving the bus.
He later admitted sexual assault but walked free because he had served 104 days on remand.
Judge Tregilgas-Davey told him: ‘Mr Martin, I hope you can hear me.
‘I’m afraid I’m not prepared to sentence you today even if you want me to.
‘At any sentence hearing, all applications need to be heard before the judge.
‘You need to write things down.
‘You need to be present so your council can get to the back of the courtroom and read what your instructions are.
‘It seems to me it’s in your best interest that I sentence you when you are present and when your advocate is present.’
Martin, of Surbiton, Surrey, admitted sexual assault, on 1 March 2021, and two counts of stalking causing serious harm or distress, between 1 April 2021 and 30 April 2021.
He was remanded in custody ahead of sentence at the same court next week.
