A MAN has been sent to prison after exposing himself to an 11-year-old boy.

Anthony Bond

A MAN has been sent to prison after exposing himself to an 11-year-old boy.

Simon Archer, 22, was handed a 22-week sentence at Ipswich Crown Court yesterdayfollowing the offence on July 3.

The court heard that an 11-year-old boy was walking to see a friend in Felixstowe at about 4pm when he saw Archer, who he had noticed had been hanging around for a few days.

As Archer, from Langer Road, Felixstowe, walked towards the youngster, he pulled down the front of his trousers and exposed his penis to the boy.

The boy then went to a friend's house before going to a nearby park, where he saw Archer near the children's play area. He called the police and gave a description and Archer was arrested.

Prosecutor Paul Strelitztold the court that Archer had previously spent time in a young offenders' institution and was on the sex offenders' register. This followed an incident in 2007 when he was stood in a front bedroom window naked and on realising that a passerby, who was under the age of 13, could see him, Archer began to masturbate.

In sentencing him, Recorder Robin Purchas QC, said: “It is time that you learned to grow up and control yourself. You pleaded guilty to the offence of exposure, pulling your trousers down and exposing yourself to a young child of 11. It is something this child will never erase from memory, literally a scar for life.”

Neil Saunders, representing Archer, said: “There is a degree of remorse and realisation that he needs help and no doubt he will get that during a period of incarceration.”

The court was told that because of this offence, Archer had breached a suspended sentence handed to him in September last year for driving while disqualified which resulted in an increase sentence.