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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think the police should take flashing seriously?

56 replies

YuleingFanjo · 04/03/2012 20:59

Does anyone know, do the police have to take statements and keep a record of incidents of flashing?

A friend of mine has been repeatedly flashed at in the park (by different people) and this latest one was also acompanied by threats. She has taken a photo of the person doing it but says when the police came round they were unwilling to take a proper statement and also said stuff like 'we really don't think it's worth persuing, he's not a bad lad' so basically they do know who this is.

My friend is really pissed off and upset. can she complain to someone, can she insist that a statement be taken so that the incident is on record incase something else happens in the future?

OP posts:
Original poster
YuleingFanjo · 04/03/2012 22:34

it's first hand info for me.

OP posts:
scurryfunge · 04/03/2012 22:35

Statements will only be taken if there is a suspect and it's likely to go to court.

Divorcedand2teenDDs · 04/03/2012 22:47

She should ask for a crime number and the details of the investigating officer. Under the crime recording rules laid down by the Home Office indecent exposure (flashing) has to be recorded as a crime.

Original poster
YuleingFanjo · 04/03/2012 22:48

ok, so it will be recorded as a crime but not with a staement?
I will tel her to ask for the crime number.

Does this mean that at least his name will be on file and they will have 'indecent exposure' against is name?

OP posts:
Sumsey · 04/03/2012 22:51

as someone who works for the probation service i know that all reports of exposure are taken seriously as it is a known statistic that a large number of flashers go on to commit more serious sexual offences.

if u were to report a case and they ignored if....and that person then commited a further sexual offence (as flashing is deemed a sexual offence) then they would be in deepshit...hot water!

Sumsey · 04/03/2012 22:52

and yes his name would be on file!!! :) xxx

scurryfunge · 04/03/2012 22:52

Yes he may be recorded on the incident as a suspect and it will definitely be recorded as intelligence should any further incidents take place.

Original poster
YuleingFanjo · 04/03/2012 22:56

thank you for the info. My friend definitely said they definitely said he wasn't a bad lad with only a few minor things on his file. She was understandably angry when they said this.

OP posts:
griphook · 04/03/2012 23:01

I had a man repeatedly flash children at my nursery from his garden, I literally had to go to the police station and drag them to down to the nursery. Once they actually turned up they were quiet good, but I was amazed that they didn't take it seriously to start with.

Cherriesarelovely · 04/03/2012 23:13

WOW, am really disturbed to read this. I totally agree that this ought to be pursued and taken seriously. I have been flashed at twice, once when I was with my DD and she was 7. In the first instance I must admit that the person on the end of the phone line said to me "what do expect us to do about it?"! However, the police did come round to take a statement and were horrified by what the woman on the telephone had said. In the second instance I was absolutely amazed at the lengths the policewoman went to to look into our complaint.

warmandwooly · 05/03/2012 08:34

Yes. I was flashed at-if flashing included someone standing and jerking off. the police took it seriously and took a statement.

porcamiseria · 05/03/2012 09:15

I am surpised, they do usually take it serioulsy as its the tipping point. yanbu

valiumredhead · 05/03/2012 09:30

This pisses me right off - I reported a flasher , he was flashing at me and the child I was looking after at the time, properly gyrating up against the window and knocking to get our attention. I went down to the poise station and sweet FA was done - didn't even take a statement. This was in London, I have a feeling it would be taken more seriously in the small town we live in now.

valiumredhead · 05/03/2012 09:30

police not poise

OhdearNigel · 05/03/2012 10:48

Either your friend has got the wrong end of the stick or the police officer that said that is way out of line. We deal with exposure very seriously - and repeat incidents with threats would be dealt with as a priority, strategy crime and lots of resources thrown at it.

Your friend needs to complain to the district inspector.

OhdearNigel · 05/03/2012 10:50

She has reported a crime and they are breaching the National Crime Recording Standards by not generating a crime number and launching an investigation within (I think) 72 hours. It's been a while since I've has anything to do with NCRS compliance but I think it still applies.

Does that help ?

OhdearNigel · 05/03/2012 10:53

Also exposure is a specified crime under sec 66 of the sexual offences act 2003.

These officers have got it wrong in so many ways, she could have a field day with a complaint. Previous court cases should have absolutely no bearing on how she is treated as a not guilty verdict is not her fault.

OhdearNigel · 05/03/2012 10:57

Statements will only be taken if there is a suspect and it's likely to go to court

This is absolute nonsense

OhdearNigel · 05/03/2012 11:02

And finally, with a named suspect the matter cannot just be "recorded on the incident as a suspect and it will definitely be recorded as intelligence should any further incidents take place".

If there is a named suspect for a crime then the police must arrest that suspect & interview them. If the defendant admits it in interview they may be eligible for a caution if they have no similar offending in the previous 3 years or they may be charged to the next available court. If they do not admit it the case will be referred to the CPS for charging authorisation.

scurryfunge · 05/03/2012 11:04

Not nonsense - if there is no hope of solving it, then no statements will be taken. If there are clear lines of enquiry then a statement is generally taken.

scurryfunge · 05/03/2012 11:07

Only if it is a credible suspect, Nigel.Plenty of people get named on incidents where people think it is so-and-so but do not have any evidence.You still have to have the grounds to arrest them!

sunshineandbooks · 05/03/2012 11:08

In my constabulary this would be taken very seriously indeed. I am becoming more and more impressed with the way in which my local constabulary now deals with sexual offences. Sadly, it appears they are bucking a national trend.

The only thing I can come up with to excuse this is either that the officers concerned are misogynistic dinosaurs/downright lazy, or that perhaps they know the flasher has some sort of MH problems, etc. Either way, it's not an excuse. I would tell your friend to complain and point to possible future scenarios where a young girl gets sexually assaulted and it comes to press attention that the police were aware of the offender but chose to do nothing about it.

OhdearNigel · 05/03/2012 11:08

That was not what you said, though, was it ?

OhdearNigel · 05/03/2012 11:10

Which force do you work for Scurry because in my force, where I worked in a frontline investigative capacity for 5 years, statements are taken from a victim of crime unless there are absolutely no lines of enquiry whatsoever.

I would be interested to know where you are based if you are only taking statements relating to "credible" suspects.

sunshineandbooks · 05/03/2012 11:10

The police have to have ground and necessity to arrest. Sometimes it isn't appropriate. However, given that a recognised and straightforward crime has taken place, they know who the suspect is and there is photographic evidence of the crime, then there is no reason whatsoever to justify a statement not being taken from the victim.