Aaron Bunch Journalist with Australian Associated Press | Collection of published work | + 61 484 008 119 | abunch@aap.com.au
Brisbane street masturbator to learn fate
A serial public masturbator who terrorised women in Brisbane for four years is expected to be sentenced.
September 17, 2019
A man terrorised Brisbane women by masturbating naked or semi-naked in front of them on footpaths, at bus stops and in bushes because he craved the rush it gave him.
Benjamin Frederick Moran, 43, is now set to be sentenced on Tuesday for more than 30 indecent acts over a four-year period from 2015.
Half or fully naked, he stood on footpaths, hid behind bushes or sat in his van and masturbated as women passed by or stood at bus stops on streets in Lutwyche, Windsor, Annerley and Fairfield.
Brisbane Magistrate Court has heard he felt compelled to seek the “rush” of pleasuring himself in front of women who randomly encountered him in public places.
There was no verbal or physical contact but many of his victims were frightened and anonymously called Crimestoppers.
When he offended at night he shone a mobile phone light on his genitals.
Moran was caught in January after a woman called police on him on Truro Street in Windsor, where many of his offences took place.
The owner-operator of a security business, he confessed his crimes to police and used a map to show them where he had offended.
That led to 32 charges after officers were able to cross-check previous reports of his behaviour.
Moran pleaded guilty late last month.
The court heard Moran was convicted of similar offending in 2011 and ordered to undergo counselling, which only curtailed his behaviour for a number of years.