Croucher, formerly of Northgate Avenue, Fratton, was subsequently located just one day after the launch of a police appeal, thanks to the victim’s quick wits and bravery in photographing the freaky flasher.
At the time of his arrest, kinky Croucher denied any wrongdoing, but later admitted one charge of exposure, on the first day of his trial at Portsmouth Crown Court.
The court heard how Croucher had ‘rubbed his hand up and down’ in a masturbating motion during the exposure that left the jogger ‘shocked’ at 10am on a sunny Sunday morning.
No attempt at contact was made with the woman, who was not injured during the incident, police had previously confirmed.
The incident led the woman to post on Facebook about her ordeal to warn others, sparking concern in the community.
Now Croucher, appearing at Salisbury Crown Court for sentence, was handed his punishment for the offence, nearly one year on.
But despite warnings last month from a judge of a possible jail term and a ‘priority concern to protect the public’, Croucher, now of Baythorn Close, Buckland, remains free to roam the streets after he was handed a three-year community order.
The pervert, who has another previous offence for flashing to his name, was handed 25 rehabilitation days to complete
He was also slapped with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and a sex offenders’ registration requirement for five years and must complete a rehabilitative Horizon programme.
The sex offender’s SHPO prevents him from having any physical contact with any female other than ‘inadvertent and not reasonably avoidable in the course of lawful daily life’, or unless ‘he has consent of the female who has knowledge of his convictions’.
He was also banned from ‘placing his hands within his clothing to touch his genitals or touching his genitals through clothing when in a public place other than when he is inside a public toilet’.
The victim, speaking after Croucher’s court appearance last month, said: “I just want to put it behind me now.”
At that hearing, Recorder Feest QC 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.”
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.
