School flasher caught with pants down‚ say police

An alleged flasher is due in court on Wednesday after a police sting operation caught him with his pants down in front of a Cape Town primary school.

The Parow school alerted the police last week about a man who parked his car outside the school and performed “inappropriate sexual deeds in view of the children”.

Police spokesman Captain FC van Wyk said the man tried to engage with several pupils at the school “over a period of time”.

Officers at the Bellville family violence‚ child protection and sexual offences unit scheduled a tracing operation for Thursday‚ performing foot patrols and observations without success.

“Witnesses were interviewed and their statements were obtained. Some of the learners disclosed that the suspect had offered them money to get into his vehicle but they had declined‚” said Van Wyk.

Two detectives conducted another fruitless tracing operation on Friday‚ but succeeded on Monday when the suspect's vehicle was seen in the area.

“As they approached the vehicle‚ they noticed that the driver matched the description as furnished by the witnesses. They requested the driver to exit the vehicle and they noticed that his pants were still down‚” said Van Wyk.

“They subsequently arrested him. A search warrant was obtained and executed on Tuesday where several electronic devices containing pornographic material involving children were seized. These were booked in for analysis.”

The 47-year-old man is due to appear in Bellville Magistrate's Court on three charges:

• Unlawfully and intentionally compelling or causing a child to be present at or to watch the commission of a sexual offence;
• Unlawfully and intentionally exposing/displaying or causing the exposure/display of the genital organs‚ anus or female breasts to a child younger than 18 years (flashing); and
• Unlawfully possessing film‚ games or publications with depictions‚ descriptions/scenes of child pornography or which advertise or promote it or sexual exploitation of children (possession of child pornography).

Van Wyk requested the publication of safety tips for children‚ saying children should:

• Never walk alone to and from school;
• Always walk in a group or accompanied by an adult;
• Never get into a vehicle of a stranger or accept any money from strangers; and
• Report any unusual or suspicious vehicles or adults loitering around home or school to an adult.

He added: “Should any child find themselves in a situation where they have been approached by a suspect adult‚ they should run away‚ scream if necessary and report the matter to an adult immediately.”

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