The most horrible guy at the gym

Hi guys, this is something that happened in 2012 when I used to go to the gym. I found a new gym and after the induction I was allowed to use it. I went there for the first time in the early afternoon. I wasn't experienced in going to the gym so I tried to use each machine. <br><br>Whilst I was working out I saw a guy staring at me. When I finished and went to the locker room to change he was there as well. This really freaked me out so I hurried to get changed and leave. I thought this was a weird encounter but I didn't think too much of it. <br><br>The next time I went there I saw the guy again. He followed me everywhere in the gym and when I used a machine he would use the machine next to me. This freaked me out even more than the first time and again I tried to get out of there as quickly as I could. <br><br>But he kept following me to the locker room, it didn't matter how quickly I got changed. He would always get changed at the locker next to me. I didn't want to be paranoid but I could just feel I was being watched all the time. I tried to make eye contact a few times but he looked away. He never made any eye-contact with me and didn't talk to me either, but he was there all the time. <br><br>This kept happening all the time and it freaked me out. It made me not want to go to the gym. I tried to go there at different times of the day but somehow he was always there at the same time. I thought maybe he was following me but he never was there outside of the gym. I started to think I was going crazy.<br><br>One time I had enough and decided to talk to him. He was using a machine and I stood behind him. he was still staring at the ground as always and didn't notice I was behind him. I said "can I help you?" he didn't respond. I asked again "is there anything I can help you with?" and I touched him on his arm. He looked up at me with a creepy smile and said "no nothing, thank you" and he just kept working out. I told him to stop following me and leave me alone. He didn't respond and acted like I wasn't talking to him. I was fed up with his behaviour and complained at the gym counter. they said they would look into it but nothing ever happened.<br><br>The following gym session he was there again and he looked at me with an even creepier smile than the last time. I thought I needed to end this and find a way to make him stop. I talked to some friends and family about it and they all said I should go to the police. That maybe he is planning on doing something to me. I didn't think that far but maybe it was that bad. <br><br>The next time I was at the gym I tried to make a recording of him and the way he was behaving. I set my phone on record and put it in my pocket. He was behind me on the treadmill so I couldn't see him. I acted like I dropped something and when I looked under the machine I saw he was masturbating. I couldn't believe it and I immediately stopped recording and went to the counter to complain. They said they would call the police if it happened again. <br><br>When I got home I sent the recording I made to the gym. They called me the next day and said his membership was cancelled.  I could finally stop being paranoid and stop thinking if he was behind me. <br><br>The next week I went to the gym again and he wasn't there. I thought he really didn't show up but that was because he was in jail. He was there when I was getting changed. He didn't have his gym clothes on though, he was wearing a raincoat. when he opened his coat I sprinted to the counter to call the police. He didn't follow me and he was gone when the police showed up. He was arrested a few days later and was sentenced to 2 years in jail. <br><br>He was arrested multiple times after that for public masturbation and other things like that. <br><br>I changed gym after that and haven't seen him since.<br><br>**Edit: some people in the comments are saying he could have been disabled in some way and that's why he didn't talk to me. Some even said he could have been autistic. I'm not sure but he didn't seem that way, he looked at me with a creepy smile. It was creepy as hell. Also the fact that he wasn't arrested for anything else than masturbation doesn't mean he didn't do other things.**<br><br>**Edit 2: if you ever get deeply depressed or suicidal because of the awful messages you receive on Reddit, please know that you're not alone. There is always someone who can help you. Please look up your local suicide prevention hotline.**