Daryl John Gilson pleads guilty after masturbating in women’s homes

He was homeless when he convinced two strangers to let him charge his phone in their homes, but what happened next left them “completely shattered”. Why their trust is gone.

A man with a diagnosis of schizophrenia who brazenly and bizarrely masturbated in the homes of two female strangers, which he entered on the proviso he needed to charge his phone, has been sentenced to jail.

Daryl John Gilson, 31, pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the encounters which happened after his phone regained charge and revealed a pornographic website he had previously been on.

He initially faced charges of gross indecency for the acts which were downgraded after negotiations to offensive behaviour.

The Elizabeth Magistrates Court heard the two female victims were left traumatised by the encounters, which happened at Woodcroft within 35 minutes of each other, and had their “confidence and trust completely shattered” by Gilson’s actions.

While legal aid solicitor Vanessa Cream, for Gilson, argued for leniency because her client was homeless, had nowhere else to masturbate and did not realise he was being watched, Magistrate Christopher Smolicz smacked away the assertion.

Daryl John Gilson, who is facing several charges including two of gross indecency. Picture: Facebook

“I’m not sure I can accept that. We’re talking about somebody’s home or kitchen,” he said.

“This wasn’t an act he was engaging in private and he happened to be spotted inadvertently, he was in her living room, in her kitchen, in totally inappropriate circumstances masturbating.

“There’s no other was of explaining it.”

The court heard Gilson suffered from schizoaffective disorder and was using meth at an “an alarming rate” during the lewd offences.

The coupling of the two, the court heard, led Gilson down a dangerous path where his life was spiralling out of control.

Gilson also pleaded guilty to charges of disorderly behaviour, carrying an offensive weapon, criminal trespass, unlawfully on premises, theft and serious criminal trespass – the most serious of the charges.

The court heard those offences happened over four months from November last year and were typified by bizarre behaviour and delusions.

Ms Cream told the court the offending came after Gilson was released from prison and cast into society without any supports, or treatment for his schizophrenia.

She said his lack of contact with services had contributed to a “rapid decline” in his mental health and an escalation in his meth use.

Mr Smolicz said a prison sentence was required because of the seriousness of the offending and its impact on the victims.

“It’s apparent from victim impact statements that your actions were highly upsetting and would have caused distress,” he said.

“You’ve not only caused loss of property but your victims have also got psychological scars and the offences call from a strong response from this court.”

Gilson, who has been in custody since February 4, was sentenced to one year, four months and four days behind bars with a non-parole period of nine months.