A 36-year-old Hatfield man has been jailed following a string of indecent exposures across Stevenage, Letchworth and Hitchin earlier this year.

Lucian Agape, of Shallcross Crescent, appeared at St Albans Crown Court for sentencing yesterday.

Agape was given 20 months for each offence, to run concurrently, and is now the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order which will remain in place for 10 years.

He was arrested on July 9, subsequently charged with four offences of indecent exposure, and remanded in custody before appearing at St Albans Magistrates Court on July 26 and 27, where he was found guilty of all four charges.

The offences took place between July 5 and July 7, and all involved teenage girls.

The first offence happened in Hitchin. At around 11.30am, Agape, who was sat in his car in Old Hale Way, shouted to a 17-year-old girl who was walking along Bearton Road towards him.

Having got her attention, he then indecently exposed himself to her.

The second incident occurred on the same day, at 1pm, outside Tesco Express on Bedford Road in Letchworth.

Again, Agape was sitting in his car and this time indecently exposed himself in front of two girls who were on the grass outside the shop.

Two further incidents took place on Wednesday, July 8, one in Bridge Road in Stevenage and a second around a similar time in Chancellors Road. Once again Agape called to the girls from his car and then exposed himself to them once he had their attention.

Investigating officer Detective Sarah Hill said: “The team worked swiftly to not only apprehend Agape, but to get him through the court system.

"We worked around the clock to secure this conviction and prevent this highly predatory behaviour escalating.

“I would like to applaud the courage of the victims who came forward and supported our investigation which resulted in Agape being brought to justice.

"Agape showed no remorse for his actions and I have no doubt that had we not caught him he would have continued to offend.”