A Swindon man has avoided an immediate prison sentence after carrying out a series of indecent acts in front of his neighbours, including multiple incidents where he was captured on CCTV entering gardens naked and performing sex acts.
James Hortop, 40, of Dennis Street, Swindon, was sentenced at Swindon Magistrates’ Court on Monday 7th April following repeated incidents of indecent exposure, some of which dated back over two years.
The most recent offence occurred on 15th March this year, when Hortop entered a neighbour’s back garden completely naked and began masturbating. Unbeknownst to him, the act was captured by a security camera installed on the property. Once he realised he had been seen, he fled back to his home, where he was later arrested.
As officers investigated, more disturbing footage emerged from other neighbours’ cameras. One clip showed Hortop repeatedly visiting another nearby garden over a prolonged period, again exposing himself and performing sex acts in full view of the cameras.
Following this, he was arrested for a second time on suspicion of indecent exposure. During that visit, police also recovered a small quantity of cocaine from his home.
Hortop pleaded guilty to both the exposure offences and the possession of a Class A drug. Despite the nature and repetition of the offences, he received a 26-week prison sentence, which was suspended for 18 months.
The sentence also includes a seven-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, a restraining order, as well as a requirement to attend mental health treatment sessions and complete 10 rehabilitation activity days.
Volume Crime Team Supervisor Dan Cook commented:
“This is not low-level offending. Hortop repeatedly exposed himself in front of the victims in an escalating manner, invading their privacy and potentially causing serious harm and trauma.
“We took robust action to prevent further harm and I’d like to acknowledge the courage of those in the community who came forward. Their willingness to support this investigation has ensured this disturbing behaviour was dealt with swiftly and firmly.”
Dan Cook went on to highlight that indecent exposure remains a seriously under-reported offence, often misunderstood but carrying the risk of escalation into more serious crimes. Wiltshire Police has reinforced its commitment to investigating such reports thoroughly and supporting victims throughout the process.
