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A repeat sex offender has been jailed after he was caught indecently exposing himself inside a Devizes charity shop in the presence of a child.
Philip Harding, 72, of The Lye, Seend, was observed inside a store in The Brittox on 31 May, where he exposed and pleasured himself in view of a victim and their young daughter.
Wiltshire Police launched an investigation following the report and quickly identified Harding as the suspect. He was arrested and later charged with indecent exposure, to which he pleaded guilty.
At a hearing at Salisbury Crown Court on Friday 18 July, Harding was sentenced to 12 months in prison. The court also imposed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), which will place long-term restrictions on his behaviour.
Local Crime Investigator Shonna O’Harney, of the Volume Crime Team, said:
“Harding is a prolific offender and we are aware of the community concern around him.
Indecent exposure is a serious offence with potentially significant impacts upon victims. We have also seen that it can lead to more serious contact sexual offences and violence.
I’m pleased that the courts have recognised the severity of Harding’s offending and imposed a custodial sentence, plus a SHPO to protect the public.”
She also extended gratitude to the victim for reporting the incident:
“Support from the community is absolutely vital to allow us to investigate these types of offences.”
