Toowoomba man William Freier pleads guilty to indecent exposure

Standing up in court, a Toowoomba retiree has claimed he suffered enough after he was questioned for an ‘embarrassing’ act in a public park.

William Frederick Freier, 76, pleaded guilty to indecent act in a public place before Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Monday March 31, 2025. Picture: File

A Toowoomba retiree caught with his pants down has asked a court for leniency after he claims police “embarrassed” him in front of his family.

Toowoomba man William Frederick Freier, 76, pleaded guilty to indecent act in a public place before Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Monday, March 31 after he was caught exposing himself in a public park restroom.

The court heard, midmorning on October 12, 2024, Freier exited a public restroom cubicle at a Wilsonton park where he spoke to an adult male, also using the facilities.

The man told police Freier asked him “how are you going?” before stroking his genitalia and moving next to him at the urinal.

The man said he felt “violated, uncomfortable, disgusted and offended” by Freier’s actions which prompted him to report the incident to police.

No others were exposed to Freier’s lewd act.

Later that afternoon, police questioned Freier at his home.

Freier reportedly told police he remembered briefly interacting with the man but denied the accusations of inappropriate behaviour, stating he went to the urinals after realising he still needed to urinate.

Defence solicitor Sean Gallagher said Freier did not intend to harm his victim, but was nonetheless sincerely apologetic for his behaviour.

“This is fundamentally a misunderstanding; however, he accepts his conduct would have ordinarily caused embarrassment and offence to the victim in this case,” Mr Gallagher said.

“He has noted he is deeply ashamed and embarrassed by the offence.”

Mr Gallagher argued Freier had suffered “extra-curial punishment” when police questioned him in front of his family.

“He’s suffered further extra-curial punishment, police attended upon his house that very afternoon; he was in company of wife, (adult) child and grandchildren and was interviewed with his wife close by,” he argued.

“He has been humiliated, effectively, in front of his entire family,” Mr Gallagher said.

Magistrate Kyna Morice pushed back on the solicitor’s argument.

“Are you suggesting police should wait to investigate until a convenient time?” she asked Mr Gallagher.

“Does the ordinary course of a police investigation constitute extra-curial punishment?

“If (Freier) engaged voluntarily in a police investigation and or interview in an area in which others could hear, he can’t then claim that as extra-curial punishment – he consented to that at the time.”

Ms Morice accepted the offence was extremely “out of character” for the retiree, citing his very limited criminal history.

“You don’t have any history of anything of this nature, indeed you have no history whatsoever over 40 years,” she said.

“Undoubtedly Mr Freier you are embarrassed by this, I accept that you are remorseful … but you don’t get a benefit in sentencing for being embarrassed.”

Ms Morice fined Freier $800 for the offence.

No conviction was recorded.

Originally published as Toowoomba man William Freier pleads guilty to indecent exposure