The man behind the viral Willy Wonka Experience has been exposed as a sex pest who left a woman traumatised.
William Coull, 36, hounded his victim at a property in Glasgow’s Darnley between March 26 and July 2 2024.
Coull repeatedly sent explicit pictures and messages to her despite being told to stop. One of the texts stated that Coull was a “wolf” and that she was his “prey.”
Coull’s conduct was amid the fall out of the infamous Willy Wonka Experience which he organised in February this year. Families forked out £35 a ticket earlier for the event at a warehouse in the city’s Whiteinch which was described as disastrous, ill-prepared and shoddy.
The shamed former charity worker was forced to shut the event down amid claims that the event left children in tears. Coull’s career is now in ruin after he pled guilty to engaging in a course of criminal behaviour which was abusive.
He was placed on the sex offenders register for one year after his conduct was deemed to have a “significant sexual element” to it. Coull was also sentenced today to 120 hours of unpaid work and put under supervision for a year.
Glasgow Sheriff Court heard that Coull suffered a “decline in his mental health” due to the “significant media attention” which included a documentary on him. He was accused of messaging his victim from a fake Facebook account in March.
He continued to message the woman on Snapchat and WhatsApp and used “sexual language.” Coull referred to her as “sexy”, “sugar lips” and “my wee charm.”
Prosecutor Iain Mathieson said: “The woman requested that he stop using these names but he continued.”
Coull went on to send her pictures of himself in his underwear as well as more intimate images which she “did not ask for or want.”
Mr Mathieson added: “Coull sent a snapchat of himself holding his belt with the caption ‘Do you want me to do more?’ He then sent a picture in his underwear with the caption ‘Do you want me to go further?'”
The messages were ignored and Coull later sent a Snapchat of him removing his clothing until he was only wearing his underwear. The woman asked Coull to stop sending the messages but they continued.
On July 2, Coull sent a Snapchat saying: “I’m the wolf and you are my prey, I will get you.”
The matter was then reported to the police and Coull, of the city’s Anniesland, was arrested. Neil Stewart, defending, told the sentencing: “He has been distressed with the proceedings and will never do something of this nature again.”
Sheriff Mark Maguire said that the custodial threshold had been passed by Coull but he was able to impose an “alternative to custody.”
He said: “She told you to desist from using sexual language but despite this, you sent intimate images and messages of an alarming character. She told you to stop and you failed to desist and sent further messages of a menacing nature.
“To be frank, it is unlikely that but for the sexual nature of the material sent to the victim, this case would not be here and it is quite possible that it might not have been criminal.”
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