'Perverted' serial flasher's actions left lone women feeling 'scared'

MAN RODE AROUND ON BIKE LOOKING FOR VULNERABLE VICTIMS TO TARGET

- By MARK NAYLOR

A SERIAL flasher left four lone women horrified and in fear for their safety after he shamelessly rode around on his bicycle looking for vulnerable victims to target for shocking and “worrying” public displays of brazen sexual antics.

Mark Stuart caused “much misery” to the women and they had been left scared to return to the country tracks or fields where the “very serious” incidents took place. Sometimes, exposure offences like these could lead to women being raped or murdered, Hull Crown Court heard.

Stuart, 28, of Cottingham, admitted three offences of exposure between September 14 and 27, 2023, and another of outraging public decency. He originally denied the matters but pleaded guilty on the day of a scheduled trial.

Michael Forrest, prosecuting, said that a woman was walking along a country road and a trail at Skirlaugh Road, Swine, Holderness, in the daytime of September 14, 2023, when Stuart rode past her on a bicycle. She later saw the same bicycle lying on grass and he was in some bushes. He exposed himself and was involved in sexual activity.

“She tried to get back to her parked vehicle,” said Mr Forrest. She telephoned her husband but Stuart pursued her down the track, got off his bicycle again, dropped his trousers to his ankles and continued his sexual activity. “She was able to get past him and back to her car,” said Mr Forrest.

The woman later said that she had never before for a second felt that she would feel so alone and scared. “Since that day, I was too scared to return to my usual walk,” she said. “It took me almost a year to get my confidence back.”