Description
A vile pervert watched a 10-year-old girl from behind a wall before exposing himself and laughing, leaving her haunted and traumatised. Richard Graham, 33, who is convicted of repeatedly exposing himself had targeted the girl the day before as she played outside with friends in Bury.
Noticing him ‘doing weird stuff’ with his genitals whilst standing a short distance away, one of the children shouted: “small willy” causing Graham to run off.
The following day, as the girl was knocking on at a friend’s house, she saw him hiding behind a wall. Fearing he was ‘cornering her’, she left to go home, only for Graham to stand in full view and expose himself again.
As she started to run, their eyes met and he raised his eyebrows whilst smirking at her, Minshull Street Crown Court heard.
Graham, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to two offences of exposure and two offences of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and was today (March 3) jailed for over three years.
Prosecuting, Robin Kitching said at around 5pm on August 8 last year, three children, aged 10, 10 and 13, were playing on a tree swing. One of them noticed Graham standing nearby watching them and pointed him out to the others.
“He then took his penis out of his trousers and started, in the child’s words, ‘doing weird stuff and playing with it and swinging it around’,” Mr Kitching said.
“He did not remove his trousers or speak to the children. One of the children, a boy, shouted ‘small willy’ at him, causing the defendant to put his penis back in his trousers and run off.”
The matter wasn’t reported, though one of the children, a girl, later said she was ‘freaked out’ and the boy said he first ‘thought it was funny but then became scared’.
On August 8, at around 5.30pm, the same girl was walking to a friend’s house and knocked on the door but got no reply. As she turned to leave she saw Graham hiding behind a low brick wall.
She recognised him and became scared, and went to the back of the house but found that her friend wasn’t home. Fearing she was being ‘cornered’, she walked back up the path to find that Graham had moved from behind the wall to where had been before.
“As she walked past him he got his penis out and exposed it to her, making movements in what was described by an officer as masturbating,” the prosecutor continued.
“She started running but their eyes met, he raised his eyebrows at her and was smirking. She said he was ‘laughing and stuff’. She made it clear she was scared and described his eyes and being ‘really, really scary’.”
The police were informed and quickly compiled a CCTV compilation of his movements which showed him riding home from work on his bicycle, and making a ‘detour’ to where the children were playing.
In a statement, the girl’s mother said her daughter had lost trust in men, that she becomes anxious upon seeing a man on a bike and is currently undergoing therapy.
“The defendant's actions haunted her, she felt traumatised about it,” she said. “She was exposed to something no child should have to see. It frightened her so much, and she wants to make sure he does not hurt any other children.”
Graham was said to have seven previous convictions for multiple offences of exposure in which he targeted prepubescent girls.
Defending, Aubrey Sampson said the only real mitigation was his client’s guilty plea as it prevented the children from giving evidence at a trial.
“The defendant cannot put forward a reason as to why the offences were committed previously and recently,” he said.
“What he does know is that if he continues to offend in this way, the terms of imprisonment will be getting longer and longer.”
Sentencing, Judge Mark Savill said: “She described you as ‘smiling’. You found it funny and were laughing - she wasn’t.
“You and your behaviour had the most terrible effect on this vulnerable, 10-year-old child.
“She and no other child should have to put up with such vile behaviour.
“There just does not seem to be any valid reason or excuse or mental disorder that offers mitigation of your behaviour.
“I am firmly of the view that you conducted yourself in this way because it excites you sexually. You know it’s wrong but that does not stop you.”
The judge said he was unable to pass an extended sentence due to Sentencing Council guidelines, but said he was firmly of the view that Graham was a ‘dangerous offender’.
Graham, who shook his head during the judge’s sentencing remarks, was jailed for three years and two months. He was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register and made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention order, both for indefinite periods.
Speaking after the hearing, Police Constable David Green of GMPs Bury North Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “I would first like to thank the young victims for their resilience and bravery in reporting this incident to the police and giving us the opportunity to put this sexual predator in jail.
“Sexual offences have long-lasting impacts on victims and Greater Manchester Police are committed to preventing this harm. We work with a number of specialist partner agencies, so you will never be on your own.
“I hope this result sends a stark warning to offenders that these behaviours will not be tolerated by Greater Manchester Police and that authorities here are committed to ensuring these individuals are convicted to the full extent of the law – by sending convicted sex offenders to prison and monitoring them for life.”