by Keith Hunt

A one-legged pervert who persistently flashed at girls from his Dartford home has escaped a jail sentence.

Graham Shepherd continued to expose himself and perform a sex act after being arrested, Maidstone Crown Court heard.

A judge told the 48-year-old, of Princes Road: “Flashing out of your window has got to stop - and it has got to stop now.”

Neil Moore, prosecuting, said a girl, aged 13, was walking home in January when she saw Shepherd exposing himself at his living room window.

The next month a girl, aged 17, saw Shepherd flashing and performing a sex act as she crossed the road with a female friend.

Mr Moore said when Shepherd was arrested on March 27, he claimed it was impossible to commit the offence because of his physical impairment - the loss of a leg through diabetes.

He said he would not be able to stand at the window and be “stable” at the same time. But medical evidence disproved his claim, said Mr Moore.

While on bail, a neighbour saw him flashing early in the morning on several occasions.

“It always seemed to happen when children were going to school,” said the prosecutor. “As a result, police erected a covert camera.”

Judge Jeremy Gold QC said despite the “alarming course of conduct”, he was heartened to see Shepherd had been cooperative and frank with the probation service.

“This sort of behaviour is intolerable,” he said. “I am singularly unimpressed that having behaved in this manner you had the audacity to deny it to the police in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

“That is a matter for your conscience. It doesn’t impress me one bit.

"What does impress me is you have started to come to terms with the fact you have a problem.

“I do not hesitate to say that had you not been as cooperative as you were and you were not suitable for a sex offenders’ programme, you would be going to prison today.”

The judge imposed a community order with supervision for three years. Shepherd will have to complete a sex offenders’ programme.

A sexual offences prevention order was imposed and Shepherd’s name will appear on the sex offenders’ register for five years.

“You can put this extraordinary behaviour behind you,” added Judge Gold.