Man Sentenced for Sexual Harassment in Taxi

Dale Purchase, 29, of Townshend Avenue in Plymouth, was sentenced to an 18-week prison sentence, suspended for 24 months, after being found guilty of Harassment on Friday, November 3. The incident occurred on January 12, 2023, during two separate taxi journeys where Purchase made inappropriate and sexualized comments towards a teenage passenger.

Purchase was found to have repeatedly asked the teenager to touch his genitals and made sexual advances towards her. He was also issued a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a restraining order prohibiting contact with the victim.

Sergeant Tom Ottley commented, "We take the fear of violence against women and girls very seriously and work tirelessly to ensure we are bringing people to justice while safeguarding victims. While this case may not be a typical incident of harassment, the importance of women and girls feeling safe in our society cannot be understated."

Ottley continued, "I would like to commend the victim for her engagement with our officers, who have been tenacious in their pursuit of justice. The Sexual Harm Protection Order comes with a number of stringent prohibitions, which are aimed to prevent further offending and protect vulnerable people from harm. This is further proof that Devon & Cornwall Police will use all available measures to safeguard our communities and protect the vulnerable."