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Maidstone man ‘violated’ after pervert performs sex act in front of him in Asda Sittingbourne toilets
05:00, 26 October 2023
updated: 15:35, 26 October 2023
A construction worker says he was left feeling “violated and dirty” after a man followed him into an Asda toilet and performed a sex act in front of him.
Drew Burrill says he now dreads having to use public bathrooms after being targeted by the pervert.
The 21-year-old had been in the Sittingbourne supermarket with his mum to grab a few bits of shopping.
He said: “When we got to the shop I needed the loo so I ran upstairs to use the toilet near the café.
“As I walked in I realised a man had followed me in.
“The man came and stood next to me at the urinals even though I was the only person in there.
“It was then I saw him starting to do something from the corner of my eye.
“I usually give people the benefit of the doubt and just assumed he was struggling to pee but then I thought ‘please don’t tell me he’s doing what I think he is’.”
Drew, from Langley in Maidstone, then saw the man was performing a sex act beside him.
He said: “I froze, I didn’t know what to do. I felt like my manliness had been stripped from me.
“I felt really uncomfortable and made for the door which is behind the urinals.
“As I went to walk out I looked back and he’d turned away from the urinal and was now staring at me while he continued to perform a sex act in the middle of the bathroom. It made me feel dirty and violated.
“As a 21-year-old man you don’t expect to have an experience like that, you don’t hear things like that happening to people like me.”
Drew said it was lucky he was with his mum, Fiona Page from Doddington, at the time as otherwise he probably wouldn’t have told anyone what happened to him.
He added: “I also can’t stop thinking about what would have happened if a much younger person was in that toilet with him instead of me.
“I feel belittled and violated. Since it happened I find myself checking over my shoulder when I use public toilets.
“I use them due to my type of work and now I don’t want to use urinals, I only go in the cubicles.
“I’m usually a really loud and brave person but when it happened I just went into shutdown mode.”
Drew, who has four other siblings, says the violation felt “intentional”.
He continued: “The man was victimising me. The way he was staring at me while he did it was so intentional.
“It has left me questioning what else this man has been doing.”
As well as having an 18-year-old sister, Drew has a three-year-old sister, a seven-year-old brother, and a 12-year-old brother.
“Thinking of my younger siblings in that situation I know they wouldn’t know what to do and they could have been taken advantage of,” he added.
“That’s why I want to share what happened to me.
“I want parents and carers to know that they should stay with their children when they go into the toilets in case something like this could happen to them,” he concluded.
Drew and his mother reported what happened to staff and security at Asda, as well as the police.
He was told they’d check CCTV and share their findings with officers.
“It's going to play on Drew's mind for a long time to come...”
Fiona added: “You don't expect things like this to happen to young adults and as a mother, there wasn't anything I could do about it.
“Drew has always been able to look after himself but in that scenario, he was so shocked and horrified he didn't know what to do.
“This person, I guess, doesn't care how people feel when he does this but it's going to play on Drew's mind for a long time to come and I hope it doesn't affect his mental health too much.
“I am very proud of how Drew has handled this and think he is a remarkable young man for feeling so strongly about raising awareness.”
The police have confirmed officers are investigating a report that a man committed an indecent act in the public conveniences of a supermarket in Mill Way Sittingbourne.
A spokesman for the force said: “The suspect, who was wearing white cargo shorts, is described as being white, aged between 40 and 50 and around 5ft and 10 ins tall.”
Anyone with information should contact the appeal line on 01795 419119, quoting reference 46/190374/23.
An Asda spokesman explained that the store will help officers if they are asked to provide CCTV evidence.