TAKUNDA BERE SHOCKS SALE WITH 13-COUNT INDECENT EXPOSURE SPREE NEAR TRAFFORD CENTRE

In a disturbing series of events that unfolded over a single day, Takunda Bere, a 23-year-old man from Sale, carried out a frightening campaign of indecent exposure targeting young women and teenage girls across several neighborhoods. The incidents occurred within a 24-hour window from June 27 to June 28 of the previous year, leaving a trail of shock and distress among the victims.

Bere’s method was calculated and predatory. He would drive around the Sale, Urmston, Timperley, and Flixton areas, actively seeking out young women to target. According to court proceedings, he employed a consistent ruse: he would approach victims by pulling up alongside them in his Ford Focus, often while sitting naked from the waist down, and pretend to ask for directions to the Trafford Centre. This tactic was used repeatedly, with Bere beckoning victims to come closer under the guise of seeking assistance.

Most of the victims, aged between 13 and 29, were alone or accompanied by only one other female when they encountered Bere. The court heard that he would often get out of his vehicle completely naked, sometimes chasing victims along the pavement, creating a terrifying ordeal for those involved. On one particularly alarming occasion, he was observed masturbating while exposing himself to a teenage girl near the Timperley Metrolink station. One young victim described her experience as 'very shocking,' revealing that she was crying when she returned home and worried that Bere might have wanted her to get into his car.

Law enforcement officials became aware of Bere’s activities by the evening of June 28. Police spotted his vehicle near Flixton town centre and attempted to stop him. Instead of complying, Bere sped off, reaching speeds of 60mph in a 30mph zone, running a red light, and narrowly avoiding collisions with other vehicles. His reckless driving culminated on Washway Road in Sale, where he lost control of his car, crashing into a hedge and a fence in a nearby car park. Attempts to apprehend him were initially unsuccessful, but a police dog was deployed, and Bere was eventually caught shortly afterward.

Judge Mark Savill described the case as 'quite extraordinary' and condemned Bere’s actions as 'appalling sexual behaviour.' The judge emphasized that no woman should have to endure such treatment and highlighted the severity of the crimes, which involved 13 separate incidents of indecent exposure against young women and teenagers. The judge pointed out that Bere’s pattern of behaviour was calculated, as he would drive around looking for opportunities to expose himself.

In court, Bere appeared via video link from HMP Doncaster. Although the circumstances might have warranted a custodial sentence, the judge took into account that Bere had already served several months in prison on remand, most of which he spent confined to his cell for 23 hours a day during the pandemic. As a result, the judge sentenced him to a three-year community order. This included a requirement to complete a sexual offenders programme and 40 days of rehabilitation activities. Additionally, Bere was banned from driving for 18 months, a measure intended to prevent any further incidents of this nature.

Takunda Bere, of Ascot Avenue in Sale, now faces the consequences of his actions, which have left a lasting impact on the victims and the community. The case underscores the importance of vigilance and swift law enforcement response in addressing such disturbing criminal behaviour.