Locations
Game Street, Great Harwood, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB6
Description
A transgender woman who exposed himself to children in a Lancaster park has been jailed for 28 months.
Laura Mart, 35, of Game Street, Great Harwood, appeared at Preston Sessions House, where she was charged with one count of indecent exposure and breaching a sexual harm prevention order.
The incident took place on July 18 while Mart was walking in Williamson Park on Wyresdale Road. A child playing on the monkey bars spotted Mart holding his penis and wiggling it toward her. The child immediately informed her friends and father.
At the time, Mart was under a lifelong sexual harm prevention order, which prohibited him from being within 10 meters of any public place where children were likely to be present.
Mart has a prior history of similar offenses, including four convictions for exposure and an indecency charge from 2017.
During the hearing, Judge Andrew Jeffries noted the repetitive nature of his offending and considered imposing an extended license period, but explained that this was not possible under the guidelines for these specific offenses.
He stated: “There is a real risk posed here to the public.
"If I had the power for an extended licence, I would have taken it, but it is not such an offence.”
In mitigation, Rebecca Holmes argued that Mart had not visited the park with the intent to offend but "couldn’t control the urge she had there."
Ms. Holmes added that while being transgender provided no excuse for the crime, it presented significant personal challenges.
She said: “She is transgender and identifies as a woman.
"There is no excuse for this offence, and it is a complex thing to deal with, and they have to wake up feeling they are in the wrong body.
“There is a clear path of offending, and since her last offence she has suppressed her libido, and it is to her credit she takes this and makes efforts to improve her behaviour.
“It demonstrates she is willing to comply with any intervention whilst in custody, which I do submit is a positive for her, and there can be improvements in her offending.”
In sentencing, Judge Jeffries described Mart's frankness with the probation service as a double-edged sword: while it was refreshing that she acknowledged his issues, it also highlighted the ongoing danger he posed.
Mart received a 28-month prison sentence and a lifelong notification requirement.