Friday, May 06, 2011

University rugby players admit lewd sex acts on bus

Two university rugby players have admitted performing lewd acts while naked on a public bus. Ryan Lissamore, 19, and 21-year-old Oliver Graham carried out the indecent acts while on the top deck of the No 94 service bus, travelling from Cheltenham to Gloucester on the evening of September 20 last year. The two men, along with four other players who also admitted carrying out indecent acts, are students at the University of Gloucestershire and had been drinking in Cheltenham.

At Gloucester Crown Court Lissamore and Graham pleaded guilty to a single charge of outraging public decency, which had been caught on the bus's CCTV camera. The pair appeared in court wearing suits and ties and kept their heads bowed during the short hearing. As the charge was read out to them they both replied "Guilty, sir" as they looked straight towards the bench. They had been travelling on the Stagecoach bus with fellow rugby players Lewis Baker, 21, James Devlin, 19, Alex Bye, 19, and Daniel Hammond, 20.



Last month the four all admitted a separate count of outraging public decency by committing obscene acts in front of other passengers. The charge stated: "On September 20, 2010 Lewis Baker, Alex Bye, James Devlin and Daniel Hammond outraged public decency on a public service bus travelling from Cheltenham to Gloucester, masturbated themselves while naked and allowed themselves to be masturbated by another within the sight and outrage of other persons present." That offence was witnessed by teenage girls, who left the top deck of the bus and went downstairs.

The six rugby players were alone on the top deck when Lissamore and Graham carried out their indecent act. It is understood that all six were members of the university's rugby team and Lissamore was the captain. Recorder Robert Waddington adjourned the case against Lissamore, of Alstone Lane, and Graham, of Arle Gardens, both Cheltenham, until a date to be fixed. Baker, of Winchcombe Street; Devlin, of Montpellier Villas, and Bye and Hammond, both of New Street, all Cheltenham, will also be sentenced with Lissamore and Graham. All six, who are believed to still be students at the university, were released on unconditional bail.

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