Bond Street charity shop flasher sent to jail

A PERSISTENT flasher who exposed himself at a city centre charity shop has been jailed for four months.

Volunteers at Tenovus in Bond Street were "disgusted and upset" after Robert Wharrier stripped naked in a changing cubicle, without closing the curtains, before walking out clothed and flashing at them.

Staff pressed a panic button and a security guard from Primark found Wharrier hiding in Marks & Spencer, Bristol Crown Court heard.

The 57-year-old, of Woodland Way in Kingswood, pleaded guilty to exposure in October last year.

The court heard he had six previous exposure offences on his criminal record and had already received sex offender treatment.

Judge Michael Roach told him: "There has been more than one occasion when the courts have sought to work with you to stop this problem; it hasn't.

"The time has come for you to serve a prison sentence and it really cannot be suspended."

Wharrier was told to register as a sex offender and was banned from working with children.

Neil Treharne, prosecuting, said Wharrier tried on jeans with the changing cubicle curtains open, despite staff repeatedly closing them.

He then exposed his private parts while standing in front of the till, the court heard.

Mr Treharne said Wharrier had exposure convictions dating back to 1987 and had also been convicted of gross indecency with a child.

Farah Rashid, defending, said her client had previously attended a sex offender programme, which led him to disclose to his GP problems he had had in his childhood.

She told the court: "He always finds it extremely difficult to deal with. Stress leads to him exposing himself."

Miss Rashid said Wharrier had told police to tell his victims he was "really sorry".