Wonka Experience Organizer Added to Sex Offenders Register

The individual responsible for the widely known Wonka experience in Glasgow has been added to the sex offenders register. This action follows his conviction for abusive behavior, specifically for repeatedly sending explicit images and messages to a woman, in which he described himself as a “wolf” and the woman as his “prey”. Billy Coull, 36, gained international attention in February when images of his peculiar and underwhelming Wonka event, which had a ticket price of £35, circulated widely on social media. He confessed to the offense at Glasgow Sheriff Court, stating that the negative reaction to the Willy Wonka event had adversely affected his mental well-being. Testimony in court revealed that the former charity worker initiated contact with the woman in March using a Facebook account under an assumed identity. He persisted in messaging her via Snapchat and WhatsApp, consistently addressing her as “sexy,” “sugar lips” and “my wee charm,” even after she requested him to cease. Subsequently, Coull started transmitting photographs of himself in his underwear, alongside other more intimate pictures. A message sent on 2 July stated: “I’m the wolf and you are my prey, I will get you.” Following the reporting of these messages to the police, Coull was apprehended. Neil Stewart, his legal representative, informed the court that Coull’s mental health had “declined” in the aftermath of his Wonka event, which took place in Whiteinch, Glasgow. Coull had promoted “Willy’s Chocolate Experience” using imaginative visuals depicting candy-themed environments, drawing inspiration from the Roald Dahl character and the Wonka movies. However, attendees encountered an “abandoned and empty warehouse” containing uninspiring props, where actors delivered lines from an AI-generated script. A character named “The Unknown,” not present in the original Roald Dahl narrative, was characterized as an “evil rival chocolate maker who lived in the walls”. Parents gathered outside the event accused Coull, a resident of Anniesland in Glasgow who operated the event via his House of Illuminati firm, of “scamming children”. He subsequently pledged that full refunds would be provided to all ticket purchasers. Images captured at the event garnered worldwide attention, leading to the creation of a Channel Five documentary and a musical adaptation. During Coull’s sentencing, Sheriff Mark Maguire stated: “She told you to stop and you failed to desist and sent further messages of a menacing nature.” He added: “She told you to desist from using sexual language but despite this, you sent intimate images and messages of an alarming character.” The judge noted that the criteria for a custodial sentence had been met, but he opted to implement an alternative to imprisonment. Coull received a sentence of 120 hours of unpaid work and was placed under supervision for a period of one year. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.