Jail for serial Sheffield flasher who performed sex acts on himself in public lifts

Kyle Thompson, who was first convicted of exposing himself aged just 15, carried out the first of the offences at a Sheffield Hallam University building in Arundel Street just after 2.40pm on April 28 this year.

Louise Gallagher, prosecuting, told Sheffield Crown Court: "She got into the lift on the ground floor and this defendant was already in the lift.

"He moved behind her, and she heard a noise."

Ms Gallagher said this led to the woman turning round, and as she did so she realised Thompson had exposed his penis and had begun performing a sex act on himself.

"She said: 'What the hell do you think you're doing?' and he said 'I'm sorry'," added Ms Gallagher.

The woman then told Thompson, of White Thorns Drive, Batemoor to exit the building, but he ignored her and continued with the sex act, so she fled the lift instead.

She was so traumatised by what had happened that it took her three days to report the incident to the police, the court heard.

Thompson, who does not own a car, struck again four days later in a lift in the APCOA multi-storey car park in Eyre Street on May 2.

The 26-year-old was already inside the lift when his second victim got in. Shortly after she entered, he exposed his penis and began performing a sex act on himself.

The court heard how when the woman noticed what he was doing Thompson began 'groaning'.

The woman exited the lift and went to report the incident to security staff.

By chance, the victim from the first incident was nearby when this took place, and after hearing a description of what had happened and the man involved, the woman said she believed it was the same person who had carried out a sex act in front of her.

A short time later the woman went to return to her car and got into the lift, which had other women and children in it. When it reached the fourth floor the doors opened to show Thompson standing outside, waiting to get in.

Ms Gallagher described how the woman told him not to get into the lift.

Thompson was arrested for the two offences on June 21, after a police appeal.

In victim personal statements read out in court, both women, who cannot be named for legal reasons, described how Thompson's actions had left them feeling frightened and apprehensive about being alone in public.

The first complainant said she felt scared that it could happen again, while the second said she suffered with flashbacks and was pre-occupied with thoughts of what could have happened if she had not left the lift when she did.

Thompson was in breach of a four-year sexual harm prevention order, handed out in 2015, when he carried out both offences.

The court heard how Thompson was jailed for indecent exposure offences in 2007, 2012, 2015 and he was hauled before the courts for making indecent calls to a Sheffield care home in 2016.

Defending, Amy Earnshaw, said Thompson suffered from 'blackouts' and was just as disgusted as his victims when he came to, and realised what he was doing.

Ms Earnshaw continued by saying that Thompson had blamed his previous offending on cannabis-use. But after committing both of this year's offences when he was off the Class B drug he now acknowledged that his offending was caused by underlying issues that he hoped to address.

Thompson admitted to two counts of indecent exposure and two counts of breaching a sexual harm prevention order at an earlier hearing.

Sentencing him to 20 months in prison, Judge David Dixon told Thompson: "You are a menace to single, lone, vulnerable women."

He added: "It's been suggested to me that you didn't intentionally expose yourself to these women. I have made it clear that I do not accept that.

"You have intentionally exposed yourself for your own sexual gratification."

Thompson was also made the subject of another sexual harm prevention order.

South Yorkshire Police have been asked to provide a mugshot of Thompson.