Man gets community work for flashing female runner

A man followed a woman jogger in his car before exposing himself to her as she ran between Kaiteriteri and Marahau, a court has heard.

Ben Russell Mildren, 32, was sentenced in the Nelson District Court on Monday on a charge of indecent exposure.

The court heard that on the morning of October 31, the woman had parked at Kaiteriteri, and planned to run to Awaroa Lodge in Abel Tasman National Park through Marahau.

After she began running, she noticed that a car had made a U-turn and was being driven in the same direction she was heading. She later saw it parked on the side of the road, and noticed that a man inside was looking at her.

The car then drove past her again, and she later came across it parked in a layby. It then drove towards her and pulled over. Mildren asked through the passenger window if the woman ‘‘could help him with something’’ before exposing his genitals.

The woman kept running towards Marahau. Mildren drove off towards Kaiteriteri. The woman called police.

In explanation, Mildren said he exposed himself because he thought the woman had flashed her breasts at him.

Duty lawyer Hannah Cuthill said Mildren was ‘‘mortified’’ by what had happened. ‘‘He was at an end point after he lost his employment, and he was living in his car.’’

Judge Tony Zohrab said it was serious offending, as noted in a victim impact statement. He convicted Mildren and sentenced him to 80 hours of community work.