FOUL-MOUTHED FLASHER JAILED FOR NAKED STROLL THROUGH CITY
Bystanders ‘disgusted’ by ‘lewd’ actions
A Foul-mouthed flasher has been jailed after a naked stroll through Hanley in the middle of the day.
Several videos emerged of homeless Philip Knott as he walked through the city centre in the nude on one of the hottest days of the year so far.
Witnesses reported he was verbally abusive walking past Wetherspoons and Mcdonald’s in Parliament Row. Others claim he was ‘thrusting his genitals’ towards shoppers and making other lewd gestures.
Police detained him after they were called at about 1.20pm on June 22. Now the 53-year-old has been locked up for 43 weeks after admitting exposure and two offences of common assault. He has also been placed on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.
One witness said: “He made his way down past Greggs, past Poundland, past Pound Bakery and then he was near Mcdonald’s.
“The guy was shouting things and thrusting himself near the people outside of Wetherspoons. It was awful, it made me sick.
“He flashed someone’s child, it was very disturbing. It was disgusting. He was shouting things like ‘I know you want it’ and ‘I know you’re jealous aren’t you’. He was going up to the people sat outside Spoons on the chairs and tables near Mcdonald’s.
“When the police caught him the dad whose child got flashed was visibly upset and the police just pushed him away almost to the ground.”
Another bystander said: “It was terrible what he was saying to women and the actions he was doing. It was all in front of little kids.”
A woman, who was also in Hanley at the time, said: “He was thrusting his bits in people’s faces.”
Another shopper added: “I was there with family too. It was terrible what he said to women and the actions. It was all in front of small children.”
Knott, of no fixed address, has battled alcohol and drug addiction and has a history of similar offences.
Last year he was jailed for 10 months after another disturbing escapade in Hanley. Stoke-on-trent Crown Court heard security staff found pornographic images strewn on the ground outside the court. When they checked CCTV, they discovered images of Knott taking down his trousers and performing a sex act before mooning at the camera.
In 2018, Knott head-butted a police officer 15 times to his chest after he was arrested for repeatedly swearing in Stafford Street, Hanley.