Grandfather, 75, made sexually explicit and abusive phone calls to six young women

A 75-year-old grandfather sexually harassed six young women with explicit and abusive phone calls during a nine-month campaign of harassment.

Michael Bunce, of Broadstairs, Kent, told one woman he wanted to tie her up and others he knew where they lived.

He pleaded guilty to six charges of sending a communication of an indecent or offensive nature on Thursday at Margate Magistrates’ Court.

But Bunce, who said his wife of 58 years was now aware of his actions, claimed his behaviour was a direct result of medication he was taking to manage Parkinson’s disease.

One of his victims, a 24-year-old woman, said he made “graphic and abusive” calls. She said she lived in fear and felt helpless as he phoned her “relentlessly”.

Last October, Bunce rang one young mother and asked to speak to her sister, before adding: “Are you horny like her?”

Over the next six weeks, he made sexually explicit and suggestive phone calls to the same woman, who asked to remain anonymous.

Speaking after Bunce pleaded guilty, she said: “He’d say, ‘Can you work out what I’m doing?’

"He asked to meet up for a drink and said he wanted to get a hotel room and that he’d pay me to make videos with him.

“He would ring every Wednesday and Thursday between 11am and 1pm and would always be on a withheld number. If I didn’t pick up, he’d ring relentlessly and he got nastier.”

But in November, Bunce forgot to withhold his number and she was able to pass his details onto police, who soon tracked him down to his home in Broadstairs, Kent.

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Bunce told the mother-of-two that he knew where she lived and on one occasion he suggested he saw her children leave her home moments before he rang.

As a result, she bought street-facing CCTV cameras and her family took it in turns to sleep on her sofa.

Even after Bunce was apprehended by detectives, the victim said he called her once more.

Bunce, who declined legal representation in court, added: “You don’t know how ashamed I am. I’m nearly 76. Nothing like this has ever happened before.

“I have the best respect for women. Anyone who knows me knows I’m a good man.”

Sentencing will take place in December at Margate Magistrates’ Court after a pre-sentence report has been made.

Bunce was released on unconditional bail ahead of his next court appearance.