A kitchen porter who masturbated in front of schoolgirls on six occasions has avoided prison.
Edwin Granados-Ramos, 47, terrorised young girls as they walked to school through Burgess Park in Southwark between November and June.
The sex offender was eventually arrested when a 14-year-old girl phoned 999 to say a man without any trousers on was masturbating in front of her.
Police arrested Granados-Ramos in the park and the girl picked him out of an identity parade.
Enquiries later revealed that another girl, aged 16, had been targeted by Granados-Ramos on five other occasions between November and June.
Granados-Ramos had also masturbated in front of an off-duty police officer who was jogging in the park.
Inner London Crown Court for sentencing on Thursday (August 22).
Granados-Ramos, of no fixed address, admitted seven charges of exposure and appeared atGranados-Ramos came to the UK three years ago from El Salvador hoping for a fresh start in life, barrister Sam Giffin said in her client’s defence.
He studied public accountancy in his home country, but his wife was murdered by criminal gang associations.
Since he came to the UK he has worked as a kitchen porter and his hope of a better life has not come to fruition, Ms Giffin said.
Ms Giffin urged the judge to give Granados-Ramos another chance: “He’s hoping to seek mental health support and he’s hoping to continue with manual labour but he wants to pursue further studies so he can have a better job in the UK.
“He tells me he’s very disappointed with how things have turned out in the UK, he wants to earn money and send it back to his father in Salvador.”
Judge Noel Lucas KC, Honorary Recorder of Haringey, said: “I dare say those young women who have to suffer him targeting them when they walked to school would far rather I keep them safe by sending him to prison for as long as I can.”
Prosecutor Archie Manby told the court that the fact that the 16-year-old victim changed her route but still encountered the defendant suggests a level of targeting.
Ms Giffin argued that Granados-Ramos' offending was opportunistic and he did not deliberately seek out schoolgirls.
Sentencing the defendant, Judge Lucas said: “You engaged in a persistent and targeted plan to expose your penis and masturbate before young schoolgirls who were walking acrossHe said: “It is clear from the victim personal statements that your actions had a significant impact on your young victims.”
Judge Lucas told Granados-Ramos that the seriousness and persistence of his offending meant only a custodial sentence could be passed.
But he said: “In view of the matters urged on me by your learned counsel, Ms Giffin, I am going to suspend that sentence.”
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He sentenced Granados-Ramos to 17-and-a-half months in custody, suspended for two years.
Granados-Ramos will be required to undertake 200 hours of unpaid work, a sex offenders rehabilitation course and must wear an electronic ankle tag which monitors his movements.
Judge Lucas also banned him from entering Burgess Park for five years.
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