A paedophile who ‘terrified’ two girls in an incident in Swindon has been jailed.
Peter Melville, formerly known as Raymond Casson, told the 12-year-olds he was sexually attracted to them – before unzipping his trousers and attempting to expose himself.
The 60-year-old, of Highland Road, Portsmouth, had more than ten previous sexual offences on his record when he committed the new crime in Covingham at around 2pm on 3 September 2024.
He pleaded guilty to breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order following the indecent exposure. At Swindon Crown Court on Friday (14 February), he was jailed for 46 months.
After the incident, firearms officers managed to stop and arrest Melville near the M4 in Swindon several hours after, and he was remanded into custody.
In a statement read to the court, one victim, who previously didn’t feel scared at all, said Melville’s actions left her feeling unsafe and afraid to go out by herself.
She said: “He looked like an innocent, normal man when he walked past – I didn’t think he was going to do something like that.
“I was crying and feeling terrified for a while. It was only when the police arrived I started to calm down because I knew they were going to help and he wouldn’t come back.”
Another victim described how she banged and kicked a house door in an attempt to scare off Melville after he approached her.
“I remember him driving past twice. He looked at me weird the second time. I felt confused—I didn’t know why he was looking at me,” she told the court.
Detective Constable Jack Newton said: “Firstly, I would like to thank the victims for their incredible bravery in recalling this traumatic incident.
“Melville is a repeat offender who changed his name and has persistently targeted children. I am pleased he will spend time behind bars for what he has done.
“If you have been a victim of a sexual offence, please report it to us. We will work with you and support you to bring vile perpetrators such as Melville before the courts.”
