Woman caught urinating in the middle of Cheltenham's High Street surrounded by shoppers claimed she was sleepwalking

A woman who urinated in the middle of Cheltenham’s High Street, as astonished shoppers looked on, claimed she knew nothing about it because she had been sleepwalking. Abbigayle Cutts pulled her trousers and pants down and squatted in the middle of the road, just a few yards from the Gloucestershire town’s Primark store.

Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court heard that the outrageous act, which happened at 6.15pm on March 4 this year, was caught on CCTV and led to police quickly finding Cutts and arresting her. She later told them she couldn’t remember what she had done, must have been sleepwalking and was disgusted by her behaviour.

But magistrates were not impressed with her excuse and found her guilty of an act of outraging public decency. The 43-year-old, of Sherborne Place, Cheltenham, had pleaded not guilty at her first court appearance on March 19.

READ MORE: Cheltenham town centre success with new shops opening

READ MORE: Brand new restaurant Circo opens in Cheltenham

She failed to attend court for the trial but the case went ahead and she was found guilty in her absence. Her solicitor, Miguel Blanco, said he had not heard from his client and did not speak on her behalf.

Prosecuting, Chloe Yeung said Cutts had urinated in the middle of lower High Street, in the direction of the Brewery Quarter, before simply walking off. The court was shown the CCTV footage. Cutts could be seen squatting down to relieve herself despite the presence of shoppers walking in the area and vehicles, including a bus, being close by.

Although it was getting dark, being just after sunset, Cutts’ bare bottom could clearly be seen as a CCTV operator zoomed in on the scene.

PC Tom Spears was on duty in the town centre and, after being given a description of Cutts, was asked to apprehend her. He told the court that he quickly found her in the Hollywood Bowl in the Brewery Quarter and arrested her. He said she became quite verbally abusive and so was taken into custody in a police van, rather than a car.

Asked by Miss Yeung if she had said why she urinated in the street, he said: “I believe it was because she said she couldn’t find somewhere to go.” However, Miss Yeung said Cutts later told police in an interview that she couldn’t remember what had happened.

The prosecutor said Cutts told officers she had fallen asleep on the sofa after drinking two cans of cider and the next thing she remembered was waking up in the Brewery Quarter. Cutts said she must have been sleepwalking and was disgusted at her behaviour.

After being shown the CCTV, she told police: “I wasn’t even awake, I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry, it’s not like me.”

A warrant was issued for her arrest. She will be sentenced at a later date. The court heard she has nine previous convictions, including for benefit fraud and a public order offence.