Joseph Strada exposed himself to women in Sydney’s north

CCTV has captured the shocking moment a care worker casually got out of his car stark naked and approached a woman. A court heard it was far from an isolated incident.

A support worker for the disabled has faced court after exposing himself to multiple women on Sydney streets.

Joseph Strada, 27, faced Hornsby Local Court this week where he was due to be sentenced on five counts of exposing himself in public.

Strada, from Turramurra, pleaded guilty to exposing himself to five women on five occasions between July and December last year.

Strada is an occupation support worker who works on contract at a support work agency assisting people aged 10-30 who live with a disability, according to agreed facts.

A naked Strada spotted on CCTV

The 27-year-old first approached two women who were walking their pet labradoodle at Dunshea Street in Denistone West last July.

One of the women said Strada drove past in a while Volkswagen Golf before pulling up beside them.

He then asked for directions and one of the women obliged before the other realised he was pantless with his penis exposed.

“You've got no pants on,” the women said.

“I hope I've given you ladies some pleasure,” Strada replied.

Joseph Strada, 27, pictured naked in CCTV footage. Picture: Supplied

The women said they were “in shock” before he drove off.

On another occasion, another woman had parked her car outside her home in Denistone West when she noticed a white Volkswagen Golf drive past.

Strada then turned back and parked 30m away from her.

As she got out of the car, she asked if he was looking for an address when Strada said, “I am on my phone.”

Suddenly he got out of the car and was “completely naked.”

He then walked towards her and stopped just two metres away before the woman dashed off, according to agreed facts.

He also exposed himself to the same woman on two separate occasions.

The woman, who lives near Normanhurst Boys High School, had been sitting on her front veranda on October 7 when she noticed a man in a Black Range Rover across the road.

Strada, 27, pictured naked outside his car. Picture: Supplied

He then got out of the car stark naked with his erect penis exposed and leant against his car, according to agreed facts.

He said: “Is it good enough for you?” before the victim told him to “b***** off.”

Two months later he returned to the same woman’s house in a red hatchback.

He pulled up and said: “Hi how are you today” before he got out of his car completely naked.

“Oh s***, not you again,” she replied.

“You wanna have a chat,” he said.

After she said “no” she picked up her phone and he got in his car and drove off, police fact stated.

Joseph Strada, 27, faced Hornsby Local Court on Wednesday where he was due to be sentenced on five counts of exposing himself in public. Picture: Supplied

In court, his lawyer attempted to make a mental health application arguing his actions were a result of childhood trauma.

Yet the police prosecutor opposed it saying “there was a degree of planning.”

“It is apparent on each occasion the accused sought out his victims,” she added.

Magistrate Robyn Denes dismissed the mental health application saying there was a level of “pre-planning” and it was “not just the nexus of causal offending.”

She added: “He wasn't just passing through but he would pretend to stop for directions.

“It is interesting that all the victims were ladies... if he was acting out it would be anyone.”

He exposed himself on two occasions within close proximity to Normanhurst Boys High School. Picture: Google

His lawyer asked for a conviction not be recorded as his job required him to get a working with children check.

“He would lose his ability to work with children,” he told the court.

Yet the magistrate said that wasn't necessarily an issue based on his offences.

In sentencing, the magistrate said the offending which stretched from July to December last year was “serious” particularly because he targeted one female victim twice.

“I accept there is a mental health issue behind it...it explains it but it doesn't excuse it,” she said.

Strada was convicted and sentenced to a 12-month Community Correction Order.

He was also ordered to continue treatment with his psychologist.

Outside court, the woman who was approached by Strada on two occasions said she reported him to police because she feared for other women he might target.

“I live near a school and there are students coming in and out. He could’ve done it to a girl,” she said.

The woman who asked not to be named said the first time it happened she was in shock.

“I was sitting on my veranda and having a can of soft drink then he pulls up in a dirty Range Rover with this erection and starts thrusting at me saying ‘is it good enough for you?’”

The street where he wilfully exposed himself. An entry to Normanhurst Boys High School is at the end of the street.

“I thought ‘Oh God’ and put my hands on my eyes and I said ‘I’m not giving you the satisfaction of me looking at you.’

“I work in a public hospital in the middle of a pandemic. I don’t need this from a bloke who is trying to get cheap thrills.”

While she said she wouldn’t consider herself a victim but a witness to his “performances” she slammed him for singling out women.

She said: “If you can’t be safe at home where the hell can you be safe?”