Suspended sentence for garden centre's sex-act son
Published: 21 November 2012
A member of the family that operates a Kent garden centre has been given a suspended prison sentence after he performed indecent acts in a room on the premises.
Martin Thorne, who helps run Homeleigh Nurseries Garden Centre at Hoo, near Rochester, with his parents Ron and Maureen, pulled down his trousers in front of a woman. The 48-year-old exposed himself and persisted in carrying out a lewd act despite the fact that the woman was disgusted, distressed and scared, Maidstone Crown Court heard.
He also turned on the television in the room to show pornographic material in front of the victim.
Thorne issued a threat to the woman to keep silent about the incident but admitted the offence after at first denying it.
Thorne was sentenced to eight months behind bars suspended for two years, with 12 months' supervision and 150 hours' unpaid work. The judge also imposed a restraining order, and ordered Thorne to pay £1,200 in costs.
Homeleigh Nurseries has been run for more than 40 years by the Thorne family.