Frenchs Forest: Alleged ’flasher’ charged with 39 counts of stalking women and exposing himself
Police have arrested and charged a man after he allegedly stalked and intimidated women on Sydney’s northern beaches in recent years. Police will allege he was a serial flasher with 39 offences recorded.
Manly
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Police have arrested and charged a man after he allegedly stalked and intimidated women on Sydney’s northern beaches in recent years.
The 42-year-old Frenchs Forest man has been charged with 39 offences.
Detectives from Northern Beaches Police Area Command established Strike Force Graffias in early 2019 to investigate after a number of women were allegedly approached by a man while walking or exercising alone on the northern beaches.
Police will allege that between November 2017 and September 2020, the man approached the women and made offensive comments to them.
It’s further alleged that on a number of occasions the man exposed himself and performed a lewd act.
Following extensive inquiries, at 7.15am on Thursday, strike force detectives attended a home on Warringah Rd, Frenchs Forest, where they executed a search warrant and seized a small amount of drugs and clothing.
A short time later, a Frenchs Forest man was arrested at a work site at Birchgrove about 8.10am.
He was taken to Newtown Police Station, where he was charged with 39 offences, including 34 counts of stalk/intimidate intend fear physical harm and five counts of carry out sexual act with another without consent.
The man was refused bail and will appear in Newtown Local Court on Friday.
Northern Beaches Police Area Command Crime Manager Detective Chief Inspector Michael Boutouridis told the media the victims were “traumatised”.
“There are striking similarities in all incidents,” Chief Insp Boutouridis said in Manly on Friday.
“The common denominator was (the alleged victims) they were walking alone in public spaces wearing headphones in isolated locations in the daytime.
“Three weeks ago the man we arrested became a suspect. The ages range from very young women in their 20s up to women in their 40s. They are traumatised.
He said the alleged offender was “caught by surprise” when police arrested him and explained how they were able to catch him, after linking him to a black car seen in CCTV.
“We had a number of suspects over the course of the investigation. We had some plans to catch him, with the incidents becoming too frequent and brazen,” he said.
“The breakthrough was grainy images of CCTV of the alleged offender from behind and a car. We identified the model and potential owners until we got the suspect.
“We have descriptions and photos and we’ve seized the car and will be examining that.”
The locations where the “brazen” incidents occurred were also revealed.
“The offences happened around Narrabeen Lakes bike track paths and started spreading towards Frenchs Forest and Forestville. It happened in broad daylight. The alleged offender was approaching women and exposing himself, terrifying the women.”
Chief Insp Boutouridis said police suspect there are more women out there who haven’t reported incidents to police.
“We don’t think these are isolated incidents and are appealing for others to come forward. We are looking at more matters now.
“Men do approach women, if you think you’ve been targeted, report it.”