serial flasher jailed for eighteen months
Channel 7
August 18, 2010
A serial flasher has been jailed in Brisbane for six months for exposing himself to children and accessing child pornography.
Scott Robert Hansen, 33, pleaded guilty in the Brisbane District Court to four charges of indecent treatment of a child and two child pornography charges.
In May last year, three children were walking home from school through bushland at Canungra when a naked Hansen grabbed the youngest from behind.
He ran away when the eldest child swung his scooter at Hansen.
Police later went to Hansen’s home and found 20,000 explicit images and movies.
The court heard he had a history of exposing himself to children.
Judge Julie Dick told Hansen his behaviour was disturbing but he was remorseful and cooperated with police.
She sentenced Hansen to 18 months’ jail to be suspended after six months, with a three-year good behaviour bond.
COMMENT:
This sort of news report bothers me because it is a muddle of fact and innuendo and gives flashers an unnecessarily bad name.
The heading reads, “Serial Flasher Jailed…..” but the body of the article gives no indication that the man was indeed a flasher. The article says the man was jailed for “exposing himself to children…” but the actual charges do not say that!
The charges are “indecent treatment of a child” and “child pornography”. These are NOT flashing charges!
Moreover, it is self-obvious that a flasher approaches people from the front; this man however grabbed one of the children FROM BEHIND! This is NOT flashing; it is assault. Yet the media call it flashing, thus giving flashers undeservedly bad publicity. But who gives a f**k? “Serial Flasher” sells! Let’s run with that!
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