Thursday, June 12, 2025 - A s£x offender who indecently exposed himself seven times has been handed a £10 fine, equivalent to just £1.42 per offence
Leon Clarke, 49, from Sutton, south London, also received a
one-year community order after admitting indecently exposing himself with
intent to cause alarm on seven occasions at train stations last year.
Clarke was also handed a five-year sexual harm
prevention order, which means he cannot approach, touch or attempt to
communicate with an unknown female in public.
The order bars him from taking a seat next to or opposite a
lone female or child on public transport or at a station, unless there is no
alternative seating available.
His name is now on the sex offender register and Clarke will
be required to register with the police until 2030.
Jonathan Ash-Edwards, the Police
and Crime Commissioner for Hertfordshire, led calls for the
Government to tie up a loophole which prevents cases like Clarke's being
challenged as too lenient.
He told The Telegraph: 'Too often, victims bravely come
forward to tell their story, the police do a great job to catch the offender
and then the justice system just goes and lets everyone down.
'People will be horrified to hear that someone can commit
seven sex offences in public and be fined just £10, effectively £1.42 per
offence.
'It's not good enough and we need a more serious approach to
sentencing for sexual offences and violence against women and girls.'
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