'Flashing' judge will not face further charges
Sir Stephen Richards, cleared of exposing himself on a commuter train, will not face prosecution over fresh allegations, British Transport Police have said
A senior judge cleared of flashing at a woman on a busy train will not be charged over reports of other incidents on the same commuter route, British Transport Police (BTP) said.
Sir Stephen Richards, who sits in the Court of Appeal as Lord Justice Richards, was acquitted in June after a woman accused him of flashing on the route into London’s Waterloo station.
Since the trial, police have investigated “similar” allegations made by two other women who claim they were flashed on the same line.
One of the women spoke to police after seeing coverage of the case in the media. The other is believed to be a City worker.
But the BTP said their inquiries were now “complete” after the Crown Prosecution Service said it would not be bringing any charges.
A BTP spokesman said: “Investigations by British Transport Police into complaints about incidents of a similar nature to those made against Sir Stephen Richards in June have been completed.
“Following consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service, they have now decided there is either is insufficient evidence or any prosecution is unlikely to be successful.
“British Transport Police inquiries are now complete.”
Sir Stephen was cleared at City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court in central London after a two-day trial.
During the case he held up a pair of his own Calvin Klein briefs to show what type of underwear he prefers.
The 56-year-old judge, a married father of three, denied two counts of “intentionally exposing his genitals intending that someone would see them and would be caused alarm or distress”.
He said he had been wrongly identified by the woman, who accused him of flashing on a train between Wimbledon and Waterloo on October 16 and October 24 last year.
Senior District Judge Timothy Workman said the case came down to his word against hers.
Although the woman, a City worker in her 20s, gave “clear, dignified and truthful evidence”, there was “insufficient evidence” to back up her identification of Sir Stephen, Mr Workman said.
On the court steps after the verdict, Sir Stephen, accompanied by his wife, Lucy, said: “Throughout the trial I have put my trust in the legal process and I am delighted that it has enabled me to clear my name.”
(Published by Times Online, August 2, 2007)