A Wiltshire man who keeps ‘pleasuring himself’ near kids has been jailed again.
Philip Harding pleaded guilty to indecent exposure following an incident in Devizes on 31 May.
The 72-year-old was seen inside a charity shop in The Brittox exposing his penis and stroking it in the presence of the young girl – who was accompanied by a parent.
It’s not the first time the defendant’s been jailed for his sexual behaviour. In October 2023, he masturbated towards a four-year-old girl in a coffee shop in Trowbridge.
The incident came shortly after his release from prison for similar offending in July 2023.
The prolific sex offender, of the Lye, Seend, was imprisoned for one year at Salisbury Crown Court on Friday (18 July) and slapped with a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
Local Crime Investigator Shonna O’Harney, based in 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 also 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.
“I’d also like to thank the victim for coming forward and reporting the incident to us. Support from the community is absolutely vital to allow us to investigate these types of offences.”
