A man dubbed Britain's "worst flasher" has been jailed again after admitting to outraging public decency.
Paul Smith, 65, of no fixed address, had previously racked up 170 offences across a 51-year period of exposing himself to members of the public. He had first ended up in court in 1972 at the age of 14 when he repeatedly flashed his genitals to passers-by.
Judges have jailed Smith for up to six years at a time alongside court orders and mandatory therapy programmes. One judge labelled Smith a "one man public nuisance" and warned he could die behind bars.
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In April last year, Smith was arrested after flashing a stationary bus in Manchester city centre. Two days prior to this he was handed a suspended sentence in Bradford, West Yorks for flashing at lone women and children at bus stops in Halifax.
In the most recent incident, a bus driver spotted Smith gesturing for passengers to look in his direction while waving his genitals around for two minutes on a busy street. Upon being arrested, Smith told police: "I was just running for the bus".
Smith was jailed for 25 months after admitting to outraging public decency. He will also remain subject to a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order and must sign the Sex Offender Register.
Mr Alex Beevers, prosecuting said, “At around 6:10pm on Sunday the 23rd of April, the defendant was standing on the side of Lever Street in Manchester. The driver of the 135 bus that taking passengers to Bury from Manchester city centre, noticed the defendant facing towards the bus.
''He was wearing a hooded top and a blue surgical mask and was waving his penis with his hand. He was gesturing towards the bus passengers to look in his direction. The incident lasted just over two minutes before the driver called the police. The defendant fled on foot towards the city centre but was caught a short time later. When arrested he told them “I was just running for a bus.
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''He was interviewed the next day and gave no comment. He has a staggering amount of offences on his record, many of which are for similar offences of exposure in very busy, public places.”
In mitigation, defence lawyer Jane Greenhalgh said, “Mr Smith simply cannot stop himself offending in this fashion. It is a frustrating case because it is clear that the defendant cannot effect any sense of self control over his actions. He tells me this is his reaction to stressful scenarios. He has had a lifelong struggle with this behaviour.
“He has fully accepted the impact of his offending and did not seek to minimise it at any point. He is unemployed and has been caring for his father for a number of years.”
In sentencing, Judge Eliot Knopf told Smith: “My options of dealing with you are extremely limited. You are an intelligent man who realises the impact of your actions but are unable to stop yourself.
''It is clear from a report there is no mental health issue present in your case. One just hopes that when you are released from custody that you are able to manage yourself in a situation that doesn’t end up with you appearing in these courts.”
On last April 21, Smith was sentenced to two years in jail suspended for two years following eight more flashing offences at bus stops in Halifax, including one incident in front of two 10-year-old children near a school. At the time, the judge said: "You've been sent to prison over and over again.
"You've had sex therapy, but you keep on doing it. I've now read a psychiatric report that suggests you need some serious anti-depressant medication.
"In my view you'll end up dying in prison - well if that's what you want, no one can stop you."
