Sex pest jailed for two years

From the archive, first published Thursday 9th Feb 2006.

A sex pest who exposed himself to young girls as he "patrolled" in a car has been jailed for the maximum two years.

Yesterday a judge and two magistrates threw out his appeal against conviction by Bradford magistrates last November.

Billy Fury, 43, of Sandholme Drive, Thorpe Edge, Bradford, had been found guilty of three offences of indecently exposing himself in public. His previous offending involved dishonesty, assault and burglary,

His appeal to the crown court meant the young victims had to give evidence a second time.

Recorder Paul Watson QC praised them for their "convincing and compelling" evidence that Fury had been the man patrolling the streets of Eccleshill, Bradford.

Dismissing the appeal, Recorder Watson said: "This court has sat through two days of evidence from a number of girls and a young man which we have found singularly impressive. They have shown courage and a degree of fortitude in coming forward to tell what they had seen."

The court heard all the victims had been shocked and disgusted. The offences began in November 2004 when two girls aged 12 and 15 saw him expose himself in a car in Redcar Road. There was a similar incident last April and in May.

Recorder Watson said an aggravating feature was that Fury had carried on committing offences despite twice being granted bail.

"When you were given bail in March one might have thought that shot across the bows would deter you but it didn't," said the judge. "You contested the matter to the hilt in the lower court and ... you appealed and came to this court and put the children through it again.

"You went out undoubtedly looking for children to find. You made sure the time and the circumstances were right for you to do it. It doesn't get, in our judgement, much worse."

Fury must register as a sex offender for ten years but there was no Sexual Offences Prevention Order as the panel concluded he did not pose a risk of serious harm to the public.

After the hearing, the father of one of the victims said his family was relieved Fury had been locked up but the relief would be short lived.

"We feel safer for the time being but it won't be long before he's back living just five minutes away," he said. He said his daughter was coming to terms with what had happened but still felt nervous walking alone.

"She has had to re-live it twice now because of the appeal and it has been hard for her," he said.

"We would like to thank PC Emma Johnson for all her help and support. She has been fantastic."

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