SUE TURTON

SUE TURTON - POLICE ARE UNDER FIRE

Sue Turton was the victim of the Oxford bottom pincher

Even the most experienced TV presenters can find filming a live report from a public location a proverbial pain in the nether regions. But Channel 4's Sue Turton experienced the problem rather more literally. While many a starstruck passerby has been known to get in on the act of an outside broadcast with a grin and a wave at the camera, Miss Turton's co-star was determined to make a bigger impact. As she delivered her despatch to Channel 4 News viewers on the latest flood situation in Oxford, the stranger wandered up behind her and pinched her bottom. Technicians chased him as he fled, but were unable to catch him. Ever the professional, Miss Turton flinched only momentarily and carried on with her report. Not everyone followed her low-key example, however. To the disgust of local taxpayers, police have mounted an investigation to trace the phantom tweaker and hand him an £80 fine for breaching public order. The filmed record of the incident, meanwhile, has found its way on to the internet site YouTube, where it has been viewed almost 50,000 times already. While Miss Turton is understood to have dissuaded police from pursuing the man on sexual assault charges, she supports their decision to try to track him down. In a statement last night, she made it clear she does not regard the incident as funny. 'I've no desire to punish this man through the courts,' she said. 'But I did wonder if I accepted such behaviour without complaint what hope do women who are groped in public in this way have of any recourse? I personally found the matter quite humiliating and somewhat disrespectful to the plight of those I was reporting about. 'Some may say I'm being prudish. It's true I've been in much more threatening situations throughout my reporting career, but they were in far-flung places where personal space isn't a priority. 'Male reporters would never be treated to a public goosing. Should the women of my profession not expect the same respect?' Last night, the Mail beat police to their man, identifying the bottompincher as 37-year-old Rufus Burdett, who lives with wife Alison and their two children a stone's throw from the scene of the incident. He said he had acted on impulse and added: 'I apologise if I have caused the journalist any hassle or upset, but it was just a joke. I didn't know who she was. The whole area was battling the floods and it was my way of brightening up a dull and depressing situation.' Asked if he regretted what he had done, he said: 'It depends what happens from here.' His 40-year-old wife said: 'Rufus does not go around pinching women's bottoms, but he does see the funny side in every situation. It seems a crazy use of police resources.' Police described it as 'stupid and obnoxious behaviour' that justifies 'some kind of sanction'. A spokesman said: 'The victim does not want to make a complaint, but Thames Valley Police are seeking to identify the man with a view to giving him a penalty notice. 'It is a public order offence and we are trying to trace him now.' SUE TURTON