Locations
Great Union St, Hull, HU9 1AG
Description
He had a history of other flashing antics
A serial flasher grinned at a shocked woman as he brazenly exposed himself to her while she was walking through Hull city centre on her way to work.
Michael Lee pulled his trousers down as he sat on the pavement, leaving the woman upset and scared by what he had blatantly done in broad daylight.
He had a history of other flashing antics, including more serious incidents involving children, and he had served previous prison sentences, Hull Crown Court heard. Lee, 38, of The Crossings, Great Union Street, Hull, admitted exposure on July 29.
Richard Thompson, prosecuting, said that a woman was on her way to work at 8.50am after parking in Hull City Centre and was walking along Freetown Way. She saw Lee sitting on the pavement.
"She was wary of him because of the way he was hanging around and his general appearance and demeanour," said Mr Thompson. "As she passed, he asked if she had any spare change."
The woman noticed that, while he was speaking to her, he was exposing himself and all his private parts were visible. "It looked as if he had pulled his trousers down and he was holding the waistband of his trousers in order to expose himself," said Mr Thompson.
"She was shocked initially and felt scared and anxious. Before she turned away, she noticed that he was looking at her and smiling. She called him a 'dirty b*****d' as she walked away."
The incident lasted a few seconds only. She carried on walking throughout the incident so as "not to entertain his behaviour" but, when she got to work, she spoke to a colleague and the police were alerted. The woman had since decided to park closer to work but this would now cost her money because she would have to pay for her own parking if she parked nearer to work.
"It was hard to say how it would impact her in the future," said Mr Thompson. The woman had said: "It will definitely affect my confidence walking around on my own, especially in quiet areas."
Lee has three previous convictions for exposure and had been jailed by Hull magistrates for six months in 2006. That offence had been committed shortly after he was released from a previous prison sentence.
Cathy Kioko-Gilligan, mitigating, said that Lee had a troubled history and a 19-page pre-sentence report on him was not at all positive in suggesting ways of helping him.
Judge Mark Bury told Lee: "You clearly have some serious issues that need to be urgently addressed because, unless they are addressed, I can see you committing more of this type of offence."
The latest exposure offence was not as serious as some of Lee's other ones because no children were involved this time and he was not committing any sex acts. Lee was jailed for 14 months but, because he had been in custody, he was expected to be released as "time served" shortly. He must register as a sex offender for 10 years.