Northamptonshire man caught in notorious 'hotspot' A43 layby stepped in front of marked police car and indecently touched himself
An Irthlingborough man who stepped in front of a police car while indecently touching himself has been given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) to guard against future offending.
Daniel Michael of Gardenfields Close, Irthlingborough, has been sentenced to a five-year SHPO which bans him from unzipping, loosening or removing any garment covering his genitals or taking any action that could risk his genitals being exposed to any other person in public, or any private place that the public have line of sight, without their prior consent.
The order comes after the 33-year-old was caught on the evening of September 17, 2024, by a police officer on patrol on the A43 who drove through a layby off the northbound carriageway, near the Hannington crossroads between Northampton and Kettering.
PC Lewis Marks of Northamptonshire Police said: “The court found the actions of Daniel Michael that night were deliberate and intended to shock – it was bad luck for him that he unknowingly stepped out in front of a police car.
“There can be a perception that exposure offences aren’t serious or are even funny, but there’s nothing funny about engaging in illegal sexual behaviour in any public place.
“That this offence happened in a layby makes no odds – we know locations like this can be hotspots for such offending, which is why we include them in our patrol plans.
“Other motorists, including the HGV drivers parked up for their night’s rest, have a right to use such facilities without the risk of being exposed to offensive illegal behaviour, and I’m pleased that Michael has been made subject to a SHPO to guard against any repeat in the future.”
The incident occurred when Michael and two other men were seen standing next to a parked van in the layby. He had ducked out of view then stepped out in front of the approaching car while indecently touching himself.
When the he realised it was a marked Northamptonshire Police vehicle, he tried to run to his car but was quickly caught and arrested.
Michael went on to be charged with one count of exposure contrary to section 66 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 – intentionally exposing his genitals intending that someone would see them and be caused alarm or distress.
Having denied the offence, he was found guilty at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on May 6.
Returning to the same court on June 20, Michael was sentenced to a five-year SHPO which bans him from unzipping, loosening or removing any garment covering his genitals or taking any action that could risk his genitals being exposed to any other person in public, or any private place that the public have line of sight, without their prior consent.
Michael must also allow immediate entry to anywhere he is living to police officers or staff from the Force’s ViSOR team.
He was also ordered to pay a fine of £1,153, victim surcharge of £461 and £85 costs.