Serial internet flasher jailed for seven years

Michael Atherton, 42, contacted his victims on the social media network via video call app FaceTime, and by email using false profiles before exposing himself to them over the web.

Police were called in after a string of victims across Yorkshire and the Humber including a girl aged eight said they had been targeted by Atherton. One woman said she had been pestered on Facebook for years.

Atherton, from Westbourne Grove, Scarborough, who is also known as Michael Alderton, was labelled a ‘sexual deviant’ by detectives after admitting 17 offences at York Crown Court.

They included six charges of indecent exposure, attempted sexual actity with a child, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child and three charges of breaching of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order.

Detective Constable Michelle Neighbour, of Scarborough Protecting Vulnerable Person’s Unit, said: “Michael Atherton persistently engaged in sexual acts using various internet applications.

“He harassed his victims to satisfy his own sexual gratification. He befriended children and women on Facebook by using false profiles and then contacted them via Facetime and exposed himself.”

She said Atherton’s behaviour highlights the importance of not accepting friend requests via the internet from unknown people.