Cocaine-fuelled sex offender broke into Crawley family’s garden in sex act jaunt

Michael Hooper was seen urinating and changing into women’s clothing at a home in Crawley, and even went into the children’s playhouse.

The 39-year-old said he was ‘out of his brains’ during his ‘shocking and disturbing’ garden jaunt in July last year.

The full horror of what took place in the garden was not revealed until homeowners watched the CCTV later that morning.

Hooper, of Leopold Road in Crawley, appeared at Lewes Crown Court today for sentencing. He had pleaded guilty to trespass with intent to commit a sexual offence and theft.

Prosecutor William Saunders said the female occupier of the home was left very upset by what she saw on the CCTV.

He continued: “She was very concerned about the safety of her family.

“She was extremely shocked by what she had seen.

“She got rid of all the garden furniture.”

Mr James, defending Hooper, argued that while the incident went on for some time, the distress caused was limited to the moment the couple viewed the CCTV.

He told the court that his client has some learning difficulties and substance misuse issues.

Judge Janet Waddicor said: “Even in your drunken and drug-fuelled state you must have been aware that this was a family home.

“In the course of your stay in the garden you masturbated, you put on women’s clothing, you went in an empty Jacuzzi and went in the Wendy house.

“Their privacy was invaded, their home was invaded.”

She said that Hooper was a man with ‘form for sexual offences’, having been previously convicted of three counts of indecent assault.

Judge Waddicor said the incident was ‘shocking and disturbing’ but decided not to send Hooper to prison.

She gave him a two year suspended sentence and ordered him to undergo rehabilitation sessions.