‘Bungay gimp’ who frightened women unmasked as he claims he’s misunderstood

A man accused of dressing as a ‘gimp’ while following women and children around a Suffolk town claims he is ‘misunderstood’.

Josh Harper, 26, denies following anyone, instead claiming his dark clothes and face covering keep the sun off his face.

Gimps are known for wearing skin-tight outfits made of latex or leather, sometimes with terrifying red or white markings around the eyes.

Harper has been pictured wearing a hoody, cargo pants, fabric covering the lower part of his face, and occasionally a pair of wellington boots.

‘My understanding of what a gimp is is different to what I am’, The 26-year-old said.

He added: ‘The mask keeps the sun off my face when it’s hot.

‘It keeps me warm when it’s cold and also it hides my moustache because I don’t have any razors.’

But rumours have swirled for weeks around sightings of a figure dubbed the ‘Bungay gimp’ in the quaint market town, with his face almost fully covered.

The ‘gimp’ was recently caught by a Ring camera ringing a stranger’s doorbell in the early hours of the morning in Bungay.

Such antics have led to one woman giving him the nickname after he allegedly pursued her young daughter on more than one occasion.

It’s not the only time the ‘Bungay gimp’ has been accused of following women and schoolchildren.

Another woman said the mystery man changed direction to follow her after walking past, in a separate incident around the same time.

Beccles & Bungay Journal reported her as saying: ‘It was really weird. I felt really scared and was just about to call my dad when a friend happened to drive past and saw me.

‘He pulled over and I got in his car, much to my relief.’

Suffolk Police have received numerous reports, but they have declined to investigate the recent doorbell footage, saying no crime was committed.

There is also no evidence of Harper having any prior involvement in criminal activity, police said.

In response to the mother reporting the ‘gimp’ for following her child, police said: ‘I can confirm that police did receive a report.

‘Although it cannot be proven whether or not this individual was deliberately following the girl concerned, she has been spoken to by officers and has been given appropriate safety advice and told to call 999 if ever she felt threatened.’

Harper, who denies following anyone, claims to have just been walking.

‘The world is rough’, Harper said. ‘People say hurtful stuff about me and it’s not fair but let them speak, so be it.

‘I mind my own business just walking about to keep my head clear. I have better things to do with my time than to stalk people.’

The 26-year-old added: ‘It is just ridiculous. I am lost for words. I want people to know that I don’t follow anyone. I just walk.

‘I sometimes walk to Beccles, Harleston, Bungay.

‘If that bothers people then I’m sorry but I really don’t know what for.’

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