Almost 600 crimes of flashing and sexual voyeurism were reported to police in Greater Manchester last year.
And in eight out of 10 cases, the offender got off without any punishment.
Met Police officer Wayne Couzens was accused of driving around Dover naked from the waist down in 2015, and of twice flashing staff at a McDonald's in Kent just days before he abducted, raped and murdered Sarah Everard in March.
It is felt those allegations of indecent exposure should have led police to conclude that the killer was a potential threat to women.
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Despite the pandemic bringing multiple lockdowns to the region, which generally saw crime fall, exposure and voyeurism went up in Greater Manchester last year.
There were 567 crimes of exposure and voyeurism recorded in our region in 2020/21 - a 10 per cent rise on the 515 offences the previous year, according to Home Office statistics.
Although, many more crimes of this nature may have been committed because research shows that the overwhelming majority of victims do not report sexual offences.
What is voyeurism?
Voyeurism includes crimes such as 'upskirting' - when an offender attempts to record an image beneath another person’s clothing without their consent, and watching a private act for the purpose of sexual gratification without consent.
Exposure is when someone intentionally exposes their genitals with the intent of causing harm or distress - the crime that Couzens allegedly committed three times before the rape and murder of Sarah Everard.
These offences carry a maximum penalty of two years in prison.
Crimes of exposure and voyeurism in Greater Manchester
Below is the number of crimes of exposure and voyeurism recorded by police over the years in Greater Manchester, according to Home Office figures.
In total, 403 were recorded in 2011/12, 382 in 2012/13, 398 in 2013/14, 523 in 2014/15, 538 in 2015/16, 645 in 2016/17, 745 in 2017/18, 567 in 2018/19, 515 in 2019/2020 and for 2020/21, 567.
Of the 567 offences committed last year, investigations were completed in 456 cases without anyone receiving any form of punishment of any kind - either because of a lack of a suspect, difficulties with evidence, or because investigation or prosecution was not deemed in the public interest.
That means eight out of 10 offenders (80 per cent) got off scot-free.
Of those who were punished, only 48 (8 per cent of all offenders) were charged or received a court summons.
Seven offenders received an out of court sanction, such as a formal caution or a penalty notice, and one person was given a diversionary, educational or intervention activity, in the hope it will prevent reoffending in future.
The responsibility for investigating one case has been transferred to another authority.
In the remaining 54 cases, an outcome has yet to be assigned.
Borough by borough
Due to issues with a new IT system, data is not available for 2020/21 showing the number of exposure and voyeurism offences recorded in each of Greater Manchester’s community safety partnership (CSP) areas - or boroughs.
However the statistics from the CSP are accurate up to 2018/19.
Each year's statistics is recorded for each borough below.
// 2011/12 // 2012/13 // 2013/14 // 2014/15 // 2015/16 // 2016/17 // 2017/18 // 2018/19 //
Bolton // 30 // 27 // 40 // 76 // 99 // 66 // 81 // 67 //
Bury // 22 // 18 // 23 // 26 // 14 // 40 // 38 // 31 //
Manchester // 97 // 92 // 84 // 108 // 119 // 166 // 177 // 152 //
Manchester Airport // // // // 5 // 1 // 2 // 2 // 3 //
Oldham // 40 // 51 // 36 // 45 // 50 // 56 // 53 // 56 //
Rochdale // 32 // 28 // 30 // 38 // 30 // 56 // 59 // 52 //
Salford // 37 // 26 // 42 // 75 // 56 // 56 // 75 // 66 //
Stockport // 61 // 70 // 54 // 38 // 43 // 62 // 67 // 30 //
Tameside // 32 // 25 // 25 // 36 // 38 // 30 // 49 // 26 //
Trafford // 25 // 25 // 22 // 19 // 31 // 39 // 62 // 25 // 1
Wigan // 27 // 18 // 42 // 57 // 57 // 72 // 82 // 59 //
Total // 403 // 380 // 398 // 523 // 538 // 645 // 745 // 567 //
Home Secretary Priti Patel has now announced an inquiry into “systematic failures” that allowed Wayne Couzens to continue to remain a police officer.
Welcoming the inquiry, Martin Hewitt, chair of the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) said: “We need to understand what could have been done differently to prevent Sarah Everard’s murderer being in policing and the devastating harm he caused. But this is bigger than one man.
“There are issues for the whole of policing that need to be examined and acted on, from vetting to professional standards, to how predatory or misogynistic behaviour is challenged.
“It’s right for these issues to be fully and independently considered, and we will support the inquiry’s work in every way we can.
“We cannot and are not waiting for the findings of this inquiry to begin rebuilding women’s trust that police officers will protect and respect them.
"This must be a turning point in how society deals with violence against women and girls. In policing we will do better at targeting the violent men who harm women and building the strongest cases we can that have the best chance of getting to court."
In a statement following Couzens’ sentencing, the Met said: “Vetting is a snapshot in time and, unfortunately, can never 100% guarantee an individual’s integrity.
“Vetting is one of a number of activities that we undertake to preserve the integrity of our organisation and it is only as good as the day on which it is carried out.”
It added that officers are re-vetted periodically, there is a confidential number and a directorate of professional standards to report officers’ wrongdoings, and internal and external inspections take place to scrutinise the force’s processes.
Siobhan Blake, national lead for rape and serious sexual offences prosecutions for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said: “The offences of voyeurism and indecent exposure are alarming offences and demonstrate disturbing patterns of behaviour.
“The CPS takes these offences extremely seriously and will not hesitate to prosecute any cases referred to us that meet our legal test.
“We encourage anyone who is a victim or witness of either offence to immediately report it to the police. Where cases meet our legal test, we will not hesitate to prosecute.”
