Cairns District Court: Ernest Colin Lomas gets suspended jail term for exposing penis to teens in Cairns Target store
A New Zealand man has been sentenced in Cairns District Court for exposing himself to two teenage girls in a department store.
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A MAN has received a suspended jail sentence and been ordered to undergo psychological treatment for exposing himself to two teenage girls unknown to him in a Cairns Target store.
Ernest Colin Lomas, aged 48, appeared in Cairns District Court on Monday after pleading guilty to two counts of committing an indecent act in public.
The court heard that in July 2019, Lomas, a New Zealand citizen living in Australia since 1979, stood near the two girls shopping when he exposed himself to one of them before doing so towards the other.
He committed the same offence in 2016 at a swimming spot and was fined $1000 but was not convicted, the court was told.
On Monday, Judge Tracy Fantin said Lomas, who now lives in Adelaide, should have known better and that his second exposure was an aggravating factor.
“Women and girls are entitled to go about their business without the risk of being exposed to,” she said.
“There’s no independent evidence of remorse other than the guilty pleas.
“That means I’m not sure if you do have insight into offending at this stage.”
The judge also said that the motivation behind the offending was unclear – as no psychological evidence was tendered – and ordered Lomas to undertake an assessment.
Earlier in the sentencing, defence barrister Peter Feeney argued for leniency, saying his client was taking care of his elderly parents and that he had strong employment and community services, particularly with emergency services.
Crown Prosecutor Jodie Crane said personal deterrence was key because Lomas was an “exhibitionist” based on his 2016 conviction and that the latest offending was “brazen”.
“Young females should feel entitled to go to shopping centres and do whatever they feel like doing without the threat of a much older man exposing himself to them,” Ms Crane said.
Upon conviction, the Immigration Minister may consider Lomas’ visa status. Lomas was sentenced to six months’ jail suspended for 18 months.
Originally published as Cairns District Court: Ernest Colin Lomas gets suspended jail term for exposing penis to teens in Cairns Target store