Schizophrenic, 42, avoids jail after cornering 'helpless' schoolgirl on Fareham bus before sustained sexual assault on her

The teenager was trapped by bipolar predator Mandeep Gill, 42, after she got on the X5 First Bus in Fareham for the 20 minute journey to Locks Heath on March 4. Portsmouth Crown Court heard that Gill, of Copse Close in Otterbourne, swooped over to where his prey was sat despite the availability of numerous other seats before ogling over her.

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The pervert then set about sexually rubbing his hand up and down the female’s leg for several minutes – with the smothered girl so paralysed by fear she was unable to let her brother, sat at the back of the bus, know what was happening. Her ordeal was only ended when she ran off the bus at the next stop having called her parents – who prevented the bus from leaving as Gill was captured.

Judge David Melville KC said: ‘You sat next to her when there was no need. There were other seats available. You moved closer and closer to her. You rubbed your hand up and down her leg in a sexual way.

‘She was a schoolgirl and has suffered considerably as a result of the assault from you. She said she was helpless and all she wanted to do was get off the bus. She did not even tell her brother at the back of the bus – he looked up and found her gone.

‘Her parents came and collected her and blocked the bus. There was a confrontation on the bus. You were identified and arrested.’

But despite that, Gill continued to protest his innocence and denied the offence, resulting in the girl having to relive the nightmare after being put through the ordeal of a trial. Jurors unanimously found Gill guilty of one count of sexual assault.

The judge went on to say Gill’s behaviour was ‘completely unacceptable’ and told the court how the girl now struggles to travel alone. ‘One can only hope she will become the strong and independent girl she was before,’ he said.

He added: ‘It had a very substantial effect. She was very young and found it hard to cope with.’

Gill’s ‘bad behaviour’ was thought to have lasted around half of the 20-minute bus ride.

The court heard that Gill, of previous good character, suffers with bipolar, schizophrenia and learning difficulties and takes anti-psychotic and mood stabiliser drugs. ‘There is concern Mr Gill does not recognise where social boundaries lie,’ defence barrister Edward Warren said.

The judge concluded that Gill had a ‘life long burden’ due to his mental health issues which rendered him unable to work. Judge Melville also said Gill’s ‘considerable learning difficulties’ had contributed to his ‘astray’ and ‘appalling’ behaviour.

But he concluded jail was ‘disproportionate’ and handed Gill a three-year community order with 35 rehabilitation days and a probation training program to improve his behaviour. Gill was also made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for five years and must comply with sex offender notification requirements for the same period.

A number of restrictions impacting Gill’s liberty were made including him not being allowed to make contact with females under 16 on the street unless given consent or contact not being avoidable.