Dog walker cleared of flashing

A dog walker was yesterday cleared of accusations that he exposed himself to a woman while standing outside her Royton home.

Stephen Hall (43) of Shaw Road, Royton, denied the alleged offence in Swinford Grove, on September 6, 2011. He told Oldham magistrates: “When I heard a woman shout that she was going to call the police, I looked around to see if I was doing anything wrong and realised that my trouser fly was open.”

He said that as he didn’t have any underwear on that day, the woman must have seen some flesh which she then mistook for his penis.

Anita Hopkinson, prosecuting, said the witness became concerned when she saw Mr Hall, acting strangely, walking up and down in the street several times in the pouring rain and then staring into her house.

The witness said that when she looked out of the window, Mr Hall was on the footpath, with his penis hanging out of his trousers, so the rang the police.

Mr Hall said he was staring because he has a keen interest in houses, adding: “I always walk my dog on that route. I’ve always been interested in nice properties and the houses on that street are very nice.”