‘Flasher’ got verbal put down from victim
A woman has had to admit in court that her withering comment to a flasher was delivered “sight unseen”.
Confronted by a 21-year-old who she said lifted his t-shirt and pulled down his shorts, the woman told the flasher: “Come back when you have got something bigger to show us.”
The remark was confirmed in evidence at the Christchurch District Court trial by the woman friend who was walking with her as they returned home after a night out at Christchurch and Rolleston.
The police case put to Judge Alistair Garland was that shop assistant Patrick Frederick Walsh confronted the pair in Rolleston when he approached them on a scooter in the street late on December 14, and exposed his genitals to them.
Walsh gave evidence that he had lifted his t-shirt and slapped his chest as a “prank” but he denied exposing his genitals to the women. He said he had gone for a cruise on his scooter because it helped him to think.
“At the time, I wasn’t thinking,” he said. “It was a prank, having fun, really. It was the excitement of the moment from riding the scooter really fast.” He told Judge Garland: “I was just having a laugh.”
The women said Walsh had lifted his t-shirt and got their attention by slapping his chest.
One woman said he then pulled down his shorts and she saw his genitals. The other woman – the one who delivered the remark to the flasher – said she did not actually see his genitals because when she saw he was pulling down his shorts she looked away.
Police prosecutor David Rusbatch put it to Walsh that it was more than a prank, and he had been trying to show the women his penis. Walsh denied it.
Judge Garland found the case proved and convicted Walsh on the charge of obscenely exposing his genitals. He said the women’s evidence was credible and reliable and Walsh’s motive for exposing himself was to achieve sexual excitement.
Walsh, who had no previous convictions and lives with his parents, was remanded on bail to September 29 for a probation report and sentence. Judge Garland said the wanted the pre-sentence report prepared “so that I can find out about thisyoung man before his behaviour escalates”. The report will consider his suitability for home or community detention.
In June, Walsh was acquitted at the end of another judge-alone trial on a charge of performing an indecent act in public at Rolleston. In that trial, Walsh’s mother and stepfather gave evidence that he was at home watching a disaster movie on television at the time of the alleged offence.
David Goldwater appeared as defence counsel for Walsh at both trials.
Category: News
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