LEON STERBA SHOCKS CARDIFF WITH DISTURBING GLASSES FETISH INCIDENT NEAR LLANDAFF BRIDGE
In a disturbing incident that has sent shockwaves through the Cardiff community, Leon Sterba, a 33-year-old man with no fixed address, was involved in a highly unsettling encounter near Llandaff Bridge.The court heard that Sterba, who is known to have a history of offences related to his sexual attraction to women wearing glasses, approached a woman on September 28 around 5:20 pm, asking her for directions to the opticians.
According to the prosecution, Abla O’Callaghan, Sterba then produced a large bag filled with various pairs of glasses, including prescription and fashion eyewear.
Without warning, he pulled a pair of dark prescription glasses from the bag and asked the woman if she could see out of them.
The woman, whose identity remains protected, described how Sterba immediately placed the glasses on her face, causing her to look through the strong lenses.
She recounted that the glasses were quite powerful, and she felt uncomfortable with the sudden contact.
Within seconds, Sterba replaced the initial pair with a darker, more intimidating set of glasses from the same bag.
The court was told that during this exchange, the defendant transferred the bag to his left hand and positioned it in front of his groin area, shielding it from the woman's view.
Disturbingly, the woman observed Sterba's hand moving up and down in his trousers, accompanied by moaning and noises, indicating a sexual act was taking place.
In a victim impact statement read aloud in court, the woman expressed her feelings of sickness and fear following the incident.
She explained that the event left her feeling deeply disturbed, especially considering its proximity to local schools, Glantaf and Pencae.
She voiced her concern that such an incident could have easily involved a child, highlighting the potential danger posed by Sterba's actions.
It was also revealed that this incident was part of a series of similar offences committed by Sterba, which included asking women to wear glasses and engaging in masturbation in public.
Other incidents involved asking women to turn on windscreen wipers in their cars, including one in 2014 when Sterba asked an 86-year-old woman to do so before placing industrial safety glasses over her face.
Sterba is currently under a sexual offences prevention order, which is set to expire next year, as well as an indefinite criminal behaviour order.
During the court proceedings, he pleaded guilty through a Czech interpreter to one count of outraging public decency and breaching the criminal behaviour order.
Recorder Catherine Richards described the offence as targeted and deliberate.
She emphasized that Sterba's actions are not victimless, referencing his previous convictions in 2015 involving two different women.
The court noted that his behaviour appeared to be escalating, with records indicating that his conduct was becoming increasingly uncontrolled, as reflected in his GP records from 2018.
Sentencing saw Sterba receive an eight-month prison term, with half to be served in custody and the remaining 12 months on licence.
An application for a sexual harm prevention order was rejected, with Jude Richards stating that the offence was clearly planned, given the presence of a bag full of glasses and the targeting of a lone woman walking home.
The judge expressed concern over the impact of such behaviour on community safety, emphasizing that it instills fear among residents who have the right to walk freely without threat or intimidation.
