Man 'face down in urine with hand in pants' sparks Mansfield trader's fury at state of town

An irate Mansfield shop owner has slammed what he describes as the "degradation" of the town centre after an intoxicated man appeared to "enact sex with his fist" while in "puddles of urine".
Richard Adam Reynolds owner of Ground Zero Comics.Richard Adam Reynolds owner of Ground Zero Comics.
Richard Adam Reynolds owner of Ground Zero Comics.

Richard Reynolds, owner of Ground Zero Comics on Toothill Lane, has called for a "permanent presence" in the town centre to tackle ongoing issues with drugs and anti-social behaviour, after "men, women and children" witnessed "disturbing scenes" during trading hours.

Mr Reynolds describes how a man who was "addled on drugs" was shouting and screaming outside his store, before the trader discovered that the man was "laid face down in his urine puddle" while "fornicating with his clenched fist".

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The incident, at about 4.45pm on Saturday, July 6, sparked concern from shoppers and passers by who called an ambulance for the man, who Mr Reynolds says is "symptom" of the "ongoing problems" in Mansfield town centre.

Richard Adam Reynolds owner of Ground Zero Comics.Richard Adam Reynolds owner of Ground Zero Comics.
Richard Adam Reynolds owner of Ground Zero Comics.

He said: "I noticed a man who I assumed to be very high or drunk slowly stumbling toward the corner, with his trousers around his bottom seemingly looking to urinate there.

"I went back inside to get my locks and by the time I’d returned this man was sat down in his vast puddle of urine and had his hand down the front of his underpants.

"I was greeted with the sight of the man, now laid face down in his urine puddle, trousers and pants fully down around his ankles, enacting sex with his fist, and with all the thrusting and loud moaning that comes with it."

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Mr Reynolds said that, upon returning to his shop he decided calling the emergency services "was the right course of action", before seeing a number of "disturbed passers by" watching on "with the image burning into their brains".

He has called for an "ongoing presence" from authorities in the town to prevent it becoming a "cesspit" that people "disgust".

He said: "Anyone who works in the centre or finds themselves here regularly will have stories of open drug exchanges, zombified junkies and wanton shopliftery.

"Meanwhile officials constantly ask us 'how can we bring more business and people into town?' and the answer is simple - keep it from becoming a cesspit that people view with fear or disgust.

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"Ongoing presence is the key, sporadic presence just isn’t getting the job done. On the most basic level the presence of officers with the power to arrest is always an immediate and effective deterrent.

"And a presence in town with the ability to simply listen out, as the ever-present loutish indulge in their penchant for loudly telegraphing the truly sketchy activities they’re partaking in, could provide not-too-difficult-to-come-by info on Mansfield’s more seedier and exploitative drug culture."