Repeat offender and public masturbator learns fate

The father-of-four tried to trick the two girls before committing his heinous act. DETAILS

Seth Patrick Miller 2025

A Bundaberg father-of-four tried to trick two teenage girls into helping him find a puppy before masturbating in front of them, a court has heard.

Seth Patrick Miller, 36, was at Hinkler Central when he approached two 13-year-old girls on May 22, 2024.

During his sentencing in Bundaberg District Court, prosecutor Luke Smoothy described the “concerning ruse” where Miller asked the two teens to help him find a puppy.

When they refused, he moved a short distance away before exposing himself and masturbating.

The court heard the two teens ran away while Miller shouted at them to come back.

Police were called to the scene where Miller denied any wrongdoing and told police he had been urinating, which Mr Smoothy said was not accepted.

Police found Miller was in possession of methamphetamine at the time of the offending.

Mr Smoothy said the most recent offending was a “brazzen escalation” as “he had spoken to both of these girls prior to what he did”.

The two girls, whose parents attended court on their behalf, submitted victim statements.

One of the girls said: “I felt so scared, all I could do was run.”

“I felt unsafe in a place so familiar,” her statement read.

Judge Jennifer Rosengren told the court the teen now experienced “constant anxiety of reliving that moment”.

The court heard Miller was no stranger to the criminal justice system.

Since 2020, Miller had seven entries for indecent acts in public places, and one charge for wilful exposure.

He was sentenced to 12 months’ probation in October, 2020, after following a woman through a park and masturbating at her.

A number of witnesses made similar reports to police that day, including one who said Miller maintained direct eye contact with her while he continued to masturbate.

In further offending, Miller received four charges relating to indecent acts in public when a man saw him masturbating through the front window of his home.

Twenty minutes later two female occupants of the house arrived home and found him in the car port “rubbing his genitalia”.

In January 2023, Miller was filmed masturbating in a public park, and police identified him through CCTV footage that again showed him masturbating in front of a house.

Mr Smoothy told the court that Miller’s explanation to police was “he had a weak bladder and needed to urinate constantly”.

The father of four attended court via video link and said he intended to get rehabilitation for his drug usage.

“I’m not like this when I’m sober” he said.

“I’ve got daughters of my own. I’m a good father.”

Ms Rosengren said she was concerned Miller had spent too much time in pre-sentence custody to justify additional prison time.

“What’s serious is that he keeps on doing it,” she said.

Miller pleaded guilty to one count of wilful exposure and one count of indecent treatment of child under 16.

After serving 272 days in pre-sentence custody, Miller was released from prison on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, the operational period was extended to four months after a breach in a suspended sentence.