Lindsay Moody: Frenchs Forest flasher appeals 30 month jail sentence
A sick perv, who stalked and flashed dozens of Sydney women is behind bars, but has now appealed his jail sentence.
Manly
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A sick perv, who flashed, stalked and frightened dozens of Sydney women out for their daily run or just walking to work has lodged a legal appeal against the severity of his punishment.
Lindsay Kenneth Moody, 42, prowled the streets of the northern beaches and lower north shore looking for victims of his desperate need to expose and gratify himself.
Moody, a builder’s labourer from Frenchs Forest, claimed 28 victims ranging from a 16-year-old schoolgirl to a woman pushing her baby in a pram in a period from December 2018 to September 2020.
Seven of those victims turned up at Manly Local Court on Wednesday to hear a Magistrate throw him in jail for two and a half years.
But Moody has now appealed the severity of the 30-mointh sentence. The appeal is listed for mention at the Downing Centre District Court on April 19.
Outside Manly Courthouse on Wednesday some of the women said their lives had been changed forever after the encounter with Moody and that were less likely to walk in public alone.
The court heard some of his victims had even changed the way they dress in public.
Magistrate Bruce Williams said Moody would approach women from behind, ask them for the time and then unleash a series of lewd comments about their breasts or posteriors and then suggest sexual acts he would like to perform on them before running off.
He stalked women who were running on quiet streets and public paths. Moody also intimidated and flashed women running or walking near Narrabeen and Dee Why lagoons.
Moody would either be riding a bicycle, walking, or waiting in a car for his victims to pass by. He even grabbed one woman by the arm.
The court heard that he was on a good behaviour bond for an indecent assault conviction at the time he committed the offences.
Moody was originally charged with 39 offences against dozens of women including 34 relating to stalking/intimidate intend fear, physical harm and five counts of carry out sexual act with another without consent.
In the months after his arrests another 10 victims, including the 16-year-old girl, came forward to police and he was hit with another 13 charges.
In court on Wednesday police withdrew about 20 charges, but at least one of the remaining charges was still linked to each of his 28 victims.
After receiving a number of reports of a flasher and a stalker, Strike Force Graffias was set up by the Northern Beaches Police Area Command, investigating acts committed against women in public areas at Narrabeen, Belrose, Davidson, Dee Why, North Curl Curl and Frenchs Forest. Moody also struck at Cammeray, Northbridge, Allambie Heights and Fairlight.
He pleaded guilty to 23 counts of stalking/intimidate intend fear, physical harm and five counts of carry out sexual act with another without consent
Moody’s Legal Aid solicitor said a psychologist’s report found that he was suffering with paraphilia — a disorder involving sexual arousal fantasies involving issues such as exhibitionism.
Magistrate Bruce Williams said “There is no doubt that there has been a significant affect on all the victims.
“They were all out walking, going about their daily business.
“It must have been confronting to have the feeling that someone was following you.
“In many cases there is a residual fear … hanging in people’s minds.”
Mr Williams acknowledged that many of the victims have had to “adjust their daily lives” and “modify their behaviour” because they crossed paths with Moody.
In a letter of apology to his victims, sections of which were read out in court, Moody wrote that he knew what he did was wrong and that his actions had affected other people’s lives.
“I feel absolutely disgusted in myself,” he wrote.
Outside court one of the victims, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she no longer felt safe walking by herself.
The woman, who was 50 at the time, approached by Moody and subjected to lewd comments about her appearance as she walked to the shops at 6.45am, to buy items for her children’s lunches.
“I was just in shock and legged it up the hill away from him,” she said. “I’d always felt safe walking near my home, not anymore.
“I felt so angry that he took away my freedom.”
Another victim, who confronted by Moody at Narrabeen Lagoon, said she suffered the symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder for several weeks.
“The people who were targeted were all women, just going about their daily lives, doing ordinary boring things, exercising, walking around their local neighbourhoods.
“The northern beaches need to know that we need to be free to do ordinary things.”
The woman all praised the work of Northern Beaches Detective Ryan O’Sullivan who led the investigation.
Moody was convicted and sentenced to 30 months in jail with 19-month non-parole period.
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