Locations
Pump Square, Pill, Bristol, BS20
Description
A man exposed his genitals to schoolgirls and women in the street and from his own home as they walked past. He also filmed women while they were undressing in a changing room and of schoolgirls' reactions as he showed them his penis.
Jordan Scaffe, 28, formerly of Llantrisant, exposed himself on a number of occasions to victims including underage girls. He was confronted by a girl's aunty on one occasion, as he exposed his genitals through his shorts.
A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday heard Scaffe first exposed himself to a woman from a window of his then home in Belvoir Court on April 3. The victim said the defendant was naked and his penis erect. She looked away in shock but when she looked back she could see him bending over and looking directly at her. He then placed his hands on his hips and turned sideways to show his genitals.
On May 1, two 14-year-old schoolgirls and another girl were walking along the street when they saw Scaffe leaning back and placing his genitals on the outside of his shorts. The girls walked away but the defendant followed them for 20 yards. One of the girls called her mother and her aunty who lived nearby came to confront the offender.
She approached Scaffe and took a photograph of him, before saying "Is there any reason why you're exposing yourself in public?" He responded: "I'm not in a public place." When asked why he had flashed her niece, he said: "I didn't know it was out."
The defendant was later identified and arrested by police, who also seized his mobile phone. On the phone were videos stored in a folder entitled "secret". One of the films showed Scaffe filming himself standing in front of the window with an erect penis. He then filmed two girls under the age of 16 as they walked past his house. Prosecutor Peter Donison said the defendant continued to masturbate in clear view of the girls.
Photographs were also found on the phone of three different women in a changing room, who were unknowingly photographed while they were in a state of undress, some wearing underwear and some naked.
Scaffe, now of Pump Square, Bristol, pleaded guilty to six counts of exposure and three counts of voyeurism. The court heard he was of previous good character.
In a victim personal statement, the aunty who confronted the defendant said: "I fear the defendant will travel to my area and seek revenge for me reporting the matter. I feel afraid to walk on that road and will take a more indirect route... I am frightened by any noises I hear and it has affected my daily life."
In mitigation, Adam Sharp said his client wished to apologise to the victims in the case and felt "ashamed and remorseful". He described the defendant as a "dedicated family man" who developed depression after the death of his father at a young age. The barrister said Scaffe and his partner were under pressure due to his children's ill health, and "sought sanctuary" in using porn and steroids. He said his client had maintained employment and a stable home life until his arrest.
Sentencing, Judge Paul Hobson said: "This represents a huge invasion of privacy of the women you targeted. They are entitled to feel safe in changing rooms and feel safe without their privacy being invaded by people like you... You exposed yourself to women and girls, and did this for your own sexual gratification. It was not a one off but persistent behaviour by you over a period of time."
Scaffe was sentenced to a total of 14 months imprisonment. He was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, sex offender notification requirements and a restraining order, all to run for 10 years. A deprivation order was made in respect of the seized phone.