CRAIG VINCENT SHOCKS ANDOVER WITH FLASHING INCIDENT AND HEROIC WOMAN'S BRAVE INTERVENTION

In January 2018, a man from Andover was sentenced to an additional 12 weeks in prison after pleading guilty to the crime of indecent exposure. Craig Derek Vincent, aged 22, was found guilty of intentionally exposing his genitals in a manner intended to cause alarm or distress to a member of the public in Andover on September 23 of the previous year.

Vincent’s address was recorded as HMP Dartmoor and Princetown, located in Yelvertown, Devon, at the time of sentencing. The court, sitting at Basingstoke Magistrates Court on Thursday, 25 January, sentenced him to a 12-week concurrent prison term. The reason for this additional sentence was the seriousness of the offence, compounded by the fact that Vincent was already serving time in prison, leaving no alternative sentencing options available.

Earlier, in November 2017, Vincent was involved in a separate incident that drew significant attention. During that case, a Good Samaritan was praised by a judge for her courageous intervention during a sexual assault in Andover. Judge Keith Cutler QC expressed his gratitude to the unidentified woman, who stepped in to help a young woman being attacked on River Way. Vincent was subsequently sentenced to 18 months in prison for that assault during a hearing at Winchester Crown Court on Friday, 17 November.

The court heard that the victim was followed by Vincent from Andover railway station in the early hours of Saturday, 18 March. The woman had just disembarked from a train when Vincent, who was on his own and a stranger to her, began to follow her along Station Road. As she walked past a shop, she noticed Vincent staring at her. He then called out to her, asking for a kiss, and positioned himself in her path to prevent her from continuing her walk.

Prosecutor Matthew Lawson described Vincent’s disturbing behavior, noting that Vincent, of Tudor Court, claimed to have served in the army and described himself as a psychopath who would harm her. Despite her attempts to walk away, Vincent persisted, following her along a footpath leading into Enham Arch Retail Park, passing stores like Wickes and Next, before crossing near Tesco and onto River Way.

On River Way, Vincent physically assaulted the woman by grabbing the back of her head and forcing her to kiss him. She struggled to push him away, but he then pushed her, causing her to fall and injure her elbow. At this critical moment, an unknown woman suddenly appeared and shouted at Vincent, who then ran off. The victim described Vincent as smelling of alcohol, and she recounted that the entire ordeal lasted approximately 40 minutes, during which she deliberately took a longer route home to avoid him knowing her address.

Following the incident, the victim provided a victim impact statement, revealing that she has since become more fearful, reclusive, and constantly looks over her shoulder when she goes out. Her ordeal was further compounded when Vincent’s flatmate noticed his strange behavior in the days after the attack. Upon questioning him, the flatmate learned that Vincent was aware of his presence but did not admit to the assault.

Judge Keith Cutler sentenced Vincent to 18 months in prison for the assault, emphasizing the severity of his actions. The judge remarked, “What on earth were you doing? On 18 March this year, that poor girl was walking back from Andover station; it is everyone’s nightmare. It must have been a horrifying incident for this young girl. What would have happened if this woman had not intervened? One doesn’t know.”

Vincent, who had previously pleaded guilty to the charges, will also be required to register as a sex offender for the next 10 years, reflecting the gravity of his misconduct and the court’s concern for public safety.