Sexual deviant Leslie Croucher admits flashing at popular beauty spot Southsea Rock Gardens to female jogger

Sexual deviant Leslie Croucher, 53, exposed himself to the shocked woman at Southsea Rock Gardens on April 4 – sparking a frantic search to locate the seedy criminal.

Croucher, of Baythorn Close, Buckland, was subsequently located a day after the police appeal later in the month but denied any wrongdoing with a trial date listed.

However, at the start of his trial at Portsmouth Crown Court today Croucher admitted a charge of exposure – representing a triumph for the police and the female who was subjected to the ordeal.

The court heard how Croucher had ‘rubbed his hand up and down’ during the exposure that left the jogger ‘shocked’ on a sunny Sunday morning.

No contact was made with the woman, who was not injured during the incident, police previously said.

The incident sparked the woman to post on Facebook about her ordeal in order to warn others, sparking concern in the community.

Hugh French, defending, said: ‘It happened in an open area where families often go and walk. It was aimed at (the victim).’

Croucher’s failure to admit the offence meant the woman had to attend court as a witness before she was no longer needed after the guilty plea was entered.

Judge, Recorder Adam Feest QC, thanked the victim for her help to bring Croucher, who has a previous flashing conviction to his name, before the court.

Croucher will now be placed on the sex offenders register ahead of his sentence on March 10 to allow probation to complete a pre-sentence report on him.

Recorder Feest told Croucher: ‘I will look at all options (including jail) and make no promises with the sentence. My priority concern is to protect the public.

‘Because of your plea you have to sign the sex offenders register. If you fail to do so it is a separate offence.

‘How long you are on the register depends on the sentence.’

The victim, speaking after Croucher’s court appearance, said: ‘I just want to put it behind me now.’

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Police, in their appeal to find Croucher, said last April: ‘At 10am, a man indecently exposed himself to a woman jogging past Southsea Rock Gardens.

‘No contact was made with the woman and she wasn’t hurt.

‘Officers have followed a number of lines of enquiry and are now turning to the public for help.’

Croucher will now be sentenced at Salisbury Crown Court next month. He was granted unconditional bail.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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