27 June 2023 , 14:04
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A man known as "the worst flasher in Britain" has been jailed after 51 years of exposing himself to the public.
Paul Smith, 65, was first caught flashing his genitals to passers-by in 1972, when he was just 14.
He has since appeared in court on several occasions, receiving various court orders and prison sentences of up to six years for similar offences - and has even been made to undergo therapy in the hope it will help him change his ways.
One judge warned Smith he might die in jail and described him as a ''one man public nuisance'.
In one incident vigilantes left Smith with multiple fractures following a revenge beating after he travelled 50 miles from his home in Horwich, Bolton, Greater Manchester to flash at children including a seven year old girl.
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During various court appearances he could offer no explanation for his behaviour other than ''compulsive attention seeking'' or a ''reaction to stress scenarios".
Smith's latest sentencing was at Manchester Crown Court (MEN Media)He also warned he will never be able to stop and told police he ''wanted to be noticed'' following a flashing incident.
Smith was arrested again last April after he targeted a stationary bus full of revellers in Manchester city centre only two days after he was given a suspended sentence in Bradford, West Yorks for flashing at lone women and children at bus stops in nearby Halifax.
In the latest matter he was foiled by a bus driver, who spotted Smith gesturing for his passengers to look in his direction whilst waving his penis around for two minutes on a busy street. When arrested Smith told police: "I was just running for the bus."
At Manchester Crown Court, Smith was jailed for 25 months after he admitted outraging public decency. He will remain subject of a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and must sign the Sex Offender Register.
Smith was just 14 when he was first convicted of exposing himself and after clocking up similar offences first went to jail in 1998 for 45-months for exposing himself to two children in Bolton.
He started taking his bicycle on trains to target victims outside his hometown but in 2010 he was jailed for six years and was issued with his first SHPO at Liverpool and was banned from making similar journeys.
In 2014 Smith was jailed for four years after getting the train to Bradford to flash at more victims only to be chased and assaulted by a vigilante gang who left him with fractured ribs and a broken collar bone, pelvis and wrist.
In 2016 he was held again by police after breaching a new ban on wearing disguises to sport a snood, a hat, and sunglasses, before acting indecently at a bus stop in the Northern Quarter in Manchester.
Then in 2020 he was sent back to jail after undercover police officers saw him dropping his trousers in front of female commuters whilst loitering at Piccadilly Bus Station during the morning rush hour.
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Last April 21 Smith was sentenced to two years jail suspended for two years after eight more flashing offences at bus stops in Halifax including one incident in front of two screaming 10-year-old children near a school.
At the time a judge called him a ''one-man public nuisance" and told him: "You've been sent to prison over and over again. You've had sex therapy, but you keep on doing it. I've now read a psychiatric report that suggests you need some serious anti-depressant medication. In my view you'll end up dying in prison - well if that's what you want, no one can stop you."
Mr Alex Beevers, prosecuting said: "At around 6:10pm on Sunday the 23rd of April, the defendant was standing on the side of Lever Street in Manchester. The driver of the 135 bus that taking passengers to Bury from Manchester city centre, noticed the defendant facing towards the bus.
"He was wearing a hooded top and a blue surgical mask and was waving his penis with his hand. He was gesturing towards the bus passengers to look in his direction.
"The incident lasted just over two minutes before the driver called the police. The defendant fled on foot towards the city centre but was caught a short time later.
"When arrested he told them 'I was just running for a bus.'' He was interviewed the next day and gave no comment.
"He has a staggering amount of offences on his record, many of which are for similar offences of exposure in very busy, public places."
In mitigation, defence lawyer Jane Greenhalgh said: "Mr Smith simply cannot stop himself offending in this fashion. It is a frustrating case because it is clear that the defendant cannot effect any sense of self control over his actions.
He tells me this is his reaction to stressful scenarios. He has had a lifelong struggle with this behaviour.
"He has fully accepted the impact of his offending and did not seek to minimise it at any point. He is unemployed and has been caring for his father for a number of years."
In sentencing, Judge Eliot Knopf told Smith: "My options of dealing with you are extremely limited. You are an intelligent man who realises the impact of your actions but are unable to stop yourself.
''It is clear from a report there's no mental health issue present in your case. One just hopes that when you are released from custody that you are able to manage yourself in a situation that doesn't end up with you appearing in these courts."