Jail term imposed for indecent acts in public

By David Clarkson

Luke Isaac Earle’s long-time problem with indecently exposing himself in public has landed him back in jail.

Christchurch District Court Judge Jane Farish jailed him for 16 months yesterday, after two more offences. He has already served several jail terms for similar offences.

“Unless you do something about this problem, it is likely judges will impose greater and greater penalties upon you,” the judge told the 32-year-old.

He had admitted two charges of doing indecent acts in a public place, unlawful possession of shotgun ammunition and a smoke grenade, and driving while forbidden.

Police found the military grenade and ammunition when they executed a search warrant. Earle had no gun for firing the shotgun shells, and defence counsel Tony Garrett said the grenade was kept simply as a curiosity.

Judge Farish said Earle had been seen masturbating near a young woman in the Canterbury University library. He apologised, told the woman he had a problem, and left.

Soon after, a saleswoman in a shoe store saw him in the shop doing the same thing and he fled when she called the manager.

The judge imposed a jail terms totalling 16 months, and ordered Earle to undergo assessment and treatment as required at the Stop programme for sex offenders.

She said she was jailing him “because your risk is so high and members of the public, particularly young women, need to be protected”.