Man banned from certain areas of Bristol after repeatedly harassing vulnerable women

A 64-year-old man has been banned from entering an area of Bristol following harassment of vulnerable on-street sex workers in East Bristol.

Martyn Bignell, of Alma Close, Kingswood, Bristol, was handed a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) at Bristol Magistrates’ Court on Monday (12 August), banning him from entering several exclusion zones:

1)         Fishponds Road, Bristol

2)         Warwick Road, Bristol

3)         Portland and Brunswick Square, Bristol

We sought the CBO after several vulnerable on-street sex workers approached our Sex Liaison Officers and One25 charity to report their fears about Bignell’s behaviour towards them.

Bignell has previously received a Community Protection Warning (CPW) and a subsequent Community Protection Notice (CPN) which banned him from the above areas, yet he was found to breach both of these, continuing to return to the area and harass vulnerable women.

After efforts from officers to engage Bignell in stopping this behaviour, Bignell appeared before magistrates on Monday when he was convicted of breaching his CPN. He received a five-year CBO, forbidding him from entering the exclusion zones. Alongside this he was banned from soliciting another for the purpose of obtaining their sexual services and from contacting, directly or indirectly, some of his repeat victims.

Anti-Social Behaviour Coordinator, Tina McIvor, said: “It’s clear that this individual was a significant threat to some of our most vulnerable women in Bristol. The fact that he had breached his previous community protection notice multiple times shows the persistent nature of his behaviour. No one deserves to feel afraid for their safety and any form of violence against women and girls absolutely will not be tolerated.

“We’re very pleased to see this five-year order being put in place, sending a clear message that harassment of any form will be dealt with robustly. If Martyn breaches his CPO going forwards, then that will be grounds for us to make an arrest.”

To read more on what we are doing to tackle violence against women and girls, visit: Addressing Violence Against Women and Girls in Avon and Somerset | Avon and Somerset Police