Spindrift
Billy Coull sent messages to the woman from a Facebook account under a fake name
The man behind the infamous Wonka experience in Glasgow has been placed on the sex offenders register after bombarding a woman with explicit photographs.
Billy Coull, 36, was found guilty of abusive behavior after repeatedly sending messages referring to himself as a “wolf” and the woman as his “prey”.
Coull made headlines around the world in February after photos of his strange and lackluster Wonka eventwhich cost £35 per ticket, went viral on social media.
He admitted the offense at Glasgow Sheriff Court and said Willy Wonka’s violent reaction had affected his mental health.
The court heard the former charity worker messaged the woman from a Facebook account under a false name in March.
He continued to send her messages on Snapchat and WhatsApp and repeatedly referred to her as “horny”, “sugar lips” and “my little darling” despite her asking him to stop.
Wonka event canceled due to parent complaints
Coull then began sending images of himself in his underwear, as well as more intimate images.
A message on July 2 said: “I am the wolf and you are my prey, I will catch you.”
Coull was arrested after the messages were reported to police.
His lawyer, Neil Stewart, told the court that his mental health had “deteriorated” during the fallout from his Wonka event, held in Whiteinch, Glasgow.
Coull had announced “Willy’s Chocolate Expertise” with fantasy images of candy-themed worlds, inspired by Roald Dahl’s character and the Wonka films.
Instead, visitors were faced with an “empty, abandoned warehouse” filled with drab props, with actors reading from an AI-generated script.
A character called “The Unknown”, who does not appear in the original Roald Dahl story, was described as a “rival evil chocolate maker who lived within the walls”.
The character “The Stranger” does not appear in the original Roald Dahl story.
Coull, of Anniesland in Glasgow, who ran the event through his firm Home of Illuminati, was accused of “scamming children” by parents outside the event.
He later promised that all those who purchased tickets would receive refunds.
Photos taken at the event became global news and led to a Channel 5 documentary and a musical version.
Sentencing Coull, Sheriff Mark Maguire said: “She told you to stop and you did not give up and sent further messages of a threatening nature.
“She told you to desist from using sexual language but despite this, you sent intimate images and messages of an alarming nature.”
The judge said the threshold for deprivation of liberty had been exceeded, but was able to impose an alternative to custody.
He was given 120 hours of unpaid work and placed under supervision for a year.
Be acknowledged despite the controversies?
Thank you for your interest in scheduling an interview with us about the recent developments surrounding Billy Coull, the man behind the infamous Wonka experience in Glasgow. My name is [Your Name], and I am the website editor for world-today-news.com. We have two guests lined up for the interview today: [Guest 1] and [Guest 2].
[To Guest 1]: In light of the recent events surrounding Billy Coull’s behavior toward a woman, how do you think this will impact the public perception of his charitable work and the legacy of his Wonka experience?
[Guest 1]: Well, I think this incident has definitely tarnished the reputation that he had built through his philanthropic endeavors over the years. The fact that he used a fake identity to harass someone online and then resorted to sending explicit images is completely unacceptable. It’s sad because there were many who looked up to him as someone who wanted to bring joy and magic into people’s lives through his interpretation of the Wonka character. Now, this incident has put a cloud over all of his previous good work.
[To Guest 2]: What do you think about Coull’s reasoning for his behavior, citing the aftermath of the Wonka event as a mental health issue? Do you think mental health should be considered a valid defense in cases like these?
[Guest 2]: I think it’s unfortunate that he feels the need to blame his actions on mental health issues. While it may have contributed to his behavior to some extent, it doesn’t excuse it. Everyone goes through tough times, but we are responsible for our own actions. It’s not fair to the woman who was harassed or to those who appreciate the Wonka character and universe to downplay his actions as something that just happened because of his mental state. That being said, I do believe mental health should be taken into consideration during the sentencing process, but it shouldn’t be an automatic get-out-of-jail-free card.
[To both guests]: As mentioned in the article, the Wonka event itself faced a lot of backlash from disappointed parents and ticket holders. In your opinion, do you think there was any redeeming quality to the event that should
