July 2011

I need help… I can’t stop, exposure arrest pervert admits to police

A MAN told police he needed help because he couldn’t stop exposing himself in public, a court heard.

Mardell Junior Pennant exposed himself in public on three occasions at the same time as performing an indecent act, Nottingham Crown Court heard.

He committed the acts shortly after being released from prison having committed similar offences.

As Pennant was arrested, he told a police officer: “Someone needs to help. I need help. I just can’t stop doing it. Jail just doesn’t help. No one helps.”

Two of the most recent exposures happened on the same day, March 23, along the Beeston Canal.

Pennant, 22, was following a female jogger on his bike.

The woman looked behind to see Pennant riding his bike less than a metre behind her and performing an indecent act.

She ran faster to get away, but he followed her.

She ran into a shop but saw Pennant pull down his jogging bottoms to expose himself.

The other incident that day was witnessed by a man who saw Pennant running “uncomfortably close” to a young woman who hasn’t been traced.

The witness saw Pennant exposing himself.

The other exposure happened on February 23, outside Equinox House, in the Island Business Quarter, near London Road in the city.

A security guard saw Pennant riding a mountain bike into the shared car park at the side of the building. She pointed the security camera at him, and saw him with his hands down his trousers, looking up at the building. He later told police he had been looking at a woman on the phone.

When the incidents were reported to police, they knew Pennant was responsible because of his history, having committed nine previous exposures.

He admitted to officers that he had performed an indecent act during all three of the exposures. He accepted he had a problem but said something inside him was telling him to do it.

Pennant, of St Saviour’s Gardens, The Meadows, pleaded guilty to all three charges of indecently exposing himself.

Pennant, who had previously served 18 months in a young offenders’ institution for his part in a fatal attack on father-of-four Kamal Raza Butt in 2005, was locked up for two-and-a-half years by Judge Jonathan Teare at Nottingham Crown Court.

Judge Teare said: “I have to try and make sure that the public are protected from your behaviour.”

The court heard that Pennant pays particular attention to young women.

In mitigation, the court heard that Pennant has a troubled background and is very keen to receive help and change his behaviour.

In January 2010, Pennant was jailed for two years after pleading guilty to two counts of exposure. His sentence was halved by the Court of Appeal in July 2010.