A repeat sex offender confessed to struggling with controlling his impulses after exposing himself near a children’s play area, causing children to flee.
Laura Ashleigh Mart, previously known as male but now identifying as female, is prohibited from lingering near playgrounds and schools due to a sexual harm prevention order stemming from past similar offenses. However, on July 18, 2025, a 10-year-old girl playing on the monkey bars at Williamson Park in Lancaster encountered ‘an individual with long hair and a green sweater’ observing her.
Reportedly, the individual revealed his genitals and made suggestive gestures before concealing them, as disclosed in Preston Crown Court. The girl, alarmed, sought her father and friends to recount the incident. Subsequently, another father scoured the park and discovered Mart – who claimed to be casually strolling – concealed in bushes.
The concerned father captured images of the perpetrator and turned them over to the authorities. Mart, 35, was identified following a social media appeal. Court records revealed that the defendant had three prior convictions for indecent exposure dating back to 2014, along with violations of a sexual harm prevention order in 2017 and 2018.
During the court proceedings, the defendant was addressed using female pronouns, while law enforcement referred to Mart as male throughout their inquiry.
Mart pleaded guilty to indecent exposure and breaching the sexual harm prevention order, admitting to a probation officer, “I struggled to control my impulses.” Reports from Lancs Live indicated that Mart was taking medication to suppress libido to address the issue.
Upon Mart’s arrest in July, Lancaster Area Police stated: “We have arrested an individual in connection with an indecent exposure incident in Lancaster.”
Judge Andrew Jeffries KC, presiding over the case, remarked to Mart: “Your candidness is a double-edged sword. It’s commendable that you acknowledge your issues and are willing to address them, but it also highlights the current threat you pose.”
The judge noted a consistent pattern of offenses and sentenced Mart to 28 months in prison for breaching the sexual harm prevention order, with an additional six-month concurrent term for indecent exposure.