An Addlestone man has been sentenced after pleading guilty to harassing female students at Royal Holloway University in Egham.
On Tuesday (August 31), Surrey Police announced that Thomas Cramer, 29, from Addlestone, had been sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment and a five year Criminal Behaviour Order at Guildford Crown Court last week.
He pleaded guilty to harassment, racially aggravated harassment, possession of cannabis and driving without a license or insurance. The 10-month sentence consists of five months served and five months on license, police said.
As the Surrey Comet reported, Cramer was arrested on May after police responded to reports of a tirade of harassment against female students at Royal Holloway's Egham campus.
The harassment involved images taken of female students at the campus, which were then posted on Instagram with derogatory comments. When users would comment on his posts challenging him, police said, Cramer would reply with threats of violence and, in some cases, with racist comments.
A man who took pictures of female students @ Royal Holloway Uni in Egham & uploaded them to social media w/ offensive comments has been sentenced to 10 months' in prison & a 5 yr Community Behaviour Order. More details here > https://t.co/yqtzYUVO0J pic.twitter.com/ztPP7r8hrB
— Surrey Police (@SurreyPolice) August 31, 2021
"After being released under investigation, Cramer was rearrested on June 1 after officers received further reports of him uploading similar content to his Instagram account and continuing to threaten people online," police said, describing how he continued his campaign of harassment after his initial arrest.
"When Cramer presented himself at Staines police station, he was found in possession and under the influence of cannabis. He was further arrested for a range of driving offences and possession of a Class B drug. In addition to the offences above, Cramer was also sentenced for racially abusing his housing officer on two occasions in March," the Surrey Police statement continued.
Inspector James Wyatt, Borough Commander for Runnymede, said Tuesday: "Cramer made the students at The Royal Holloway fear for their safety in the place that they lived, studied and socialised. His racist and derogatory comments towards ethnic minorities and women are wholly unacceptable and will not be tolerated. I would like to thank everyone who came forward and reported these incidents to us, I hope that this sentence provides some reassurance to Surrey’s student community."
The Criminal Behaviour Order that was added to his sentence prevents the Addlestone man from entering the Royal Holloway University, including student accommodation. He is also banned from filming or photographing any female person, or uploading such images to social media or any website without their written permission.
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