A serial flasher who left a family living in fear after exposing himself on a residential street has been spared jail. Ashley Thomas, 31, was seen naked by his victim, who saw his genital area, on a Stoke-on-Trent street.
She was left shocked and is now anxious and on edge. It has left the family considering moving away from the street.
Suspended sentence handed down
Thomas was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison, suspended for two years, at North Staffordshire Justice Centre. He has since moved to Clandon Avenue, in Tunstall.
In a statement the victim said: "Through the gap in the blinds I could see a man. He was completely naked.
"He was rubbing one of his hands in the region of his genitals. It looked like he was masturbating. It was a complete shock."
She said it went on for two or three minutes.
Previous convictions and court requirements
The court heard Thomas has been previously handed community orders for outraging public decency and exposure.
Andrew Turnock, mitigating, said it was not clear exactly what Thomas was doing in the front room of the house but conceded the offending was aggravated by his previous convictions. He added that Thomas would again be subject to the notification requirements of the Sex Offenders' Register.
The suspended sentence has an accredited Building Choices programme and a probation requirement. He was placed on the Sex Offenders' Register for seven years and ordered to pay £650 costs and a £154 surcharge.
