LEE FENWICK FROM MOLD JAILED FOR EXPOSING HIMSELF NEAR BROUGHTON RETAIL PARK

In October 2012, Lee Fenwick, a 28-year-old man from Moel Grom in Mynydd Isa, Mold, was sentenced to a total of 36 weeks in prison following a series of indecent exposure incidents. The case drew significant attention after Fenwick was caught exposing himself on a bridge near the Broughton Retail Park, an area well-known for its busy shopping and recreational facilities.

According to reports, Fenwick was observed by a woman walking along a footpath that runs from the retail park to Church Road in Broughton. She noticed his suspicious behavior, believing he was facing children at the time, which caused her considerable concern. Her alarm was heightened when she saw him engaging in an indecent act on the bridge. Fearing for the safety of others, she took a photograph of Fenwick’s vehicle and promptly handed it over to the police authorities.

Authorities quickly traced Fenwick to his residence and confronted him. During questioning, Fenwick claimed that he was merely adjusting his underwear at the time, denying any intent of indecency. However, he ultimately admitted to outraging public decency, a confession that led to his conviction. This incident was not isolated; Fenwick was already serving a suspended prison sentence for similar offences committed in Holywell, Hawarden, Ewloe, and Dolgellau. These previous offences involved flashing to schoolgirls from his car parked in the streets of Mold and Holywell.

The court proceedings revealed that Fenwick’s earlier offences occurred while he was under a community order. His lawyer, John Hedgecoe, explained that Fenwick’s behaviour was linked to a rare syndrome he suffers from, which he claimed contributed to his actions. The previous suspended sentence was intended to allow Fenwick to undergo specialized therapy aimed at addressing this condition. Unfortunately, due to a lack of available funding, Fenwick had not received the therapy at that time. However, he was later informed that financial support could be made available to him.

Following a court break to verify this information, it was confirmed that the probation service would not fund the therapy. Despite this setback, Fenwick had completed a community sex offender treatment program while on his community order. The judge, Niclas Parry, emphasized that all efforts had been made to help Fenwick, and he should be aware that no further assistance could be guaranteed.

Fenwick’s latest offence occurred on August 31 at around 5 pm on a footpath connecting the retail park to Church Road in Broughton. The court heard that Fenwick was seen looking to one side and was heard by the witness to be in the vicinity of children, although none were visible at the time. The woman who observed Fenwick was so concerned that she took a photograph of his vehicle, which led to his identification and subsequent arrest.

During the hearing, the prosecution, led by Paulinus Barnes, highlighted that Fenwick’s actions caused distress to a lone female. The court noted that Fenwick was considered a high risk for future sexual offending but was not deemed a threat of serious harm to the public. The judge clarified that Fenwick’s sentence would not be based on an assumption that he had exposed himself to children, but rather on his conduct towards the woman.

Fenwick’s lawyer argued that his client was an intelligent man who maintained employment and had been in a relationship for seven months. The pre-sentence report suggested that Fenwick’s offences coincided with a period when he had stopped taking his medication, which was prescribed for depression. His lawyer explained that Fenwick had ceased medication because he felt better and had previously experienced depression and suicidal thoughts. He expressed that Fenwick was seeking help and that funding for therapy from a cognitive therapist was potentially available through the probation trust in Cardiff.

However, the judge was skeptical about the prospects of obtaining this therapy, stating that there was no merit in adjourning the case for further checks. Fenwick, who is already registered as a sex offender and subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO), was banned from approaching within 100 meters of any educational establishment or playground unless accompanied by family members.

In a separate case in 2024, Lee Williams from The Hayes, Runcorn, was found to be flouting his sex offender register requirements. The 40-year-old, born on October 1, 1984, was charged with exposure and failure to comply with his notification obligations. He pleaded guilty during a hearing, and his case was scheduled for sentencing at Warrington Magistrates’ Court. Williams received a 20-week prison sentence, suspended for two years, and was ordered to complete 26 days of the Building Choices program along with 35 days of rehabilitation activities.