CALDICOT MAN, 49, CAUGHT EXPOSING HIMSELF IN BERKSHIRE AFTER PREVIOUS FLASHING OFFENCES
A Caldicot man who exposed himself to women and a teenage girl in Berkshire had only recently come off the sex offenders register for previous flashing offences in Newport.Stephen Benyon, 49, of Sandy Lane, Caldicot, appeared at Reading Magistrates’ Court on Friday, October 24, where he pleaded guilty to three counts of indecent exposure and one public order offence.
He is due to be sentenced at the same court on Wednesday, December 17.
Beynon previously appeared before Newport Magistrates’ Court in 2020, when he admitted two charges of exposing himself in the city in 2018 and 2019.
He was placed on the sex offenders register for five years, ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work, and required to attend a sex offender rehabilitation programme.
Those restrictions expired earlier this year and within months, Beynon committed the new offences in Berkshire.
At around 10.10 pm on April 16, 2024, a 40-year-old woman was crossing an overbridge near Theale railway station when she was confronted by a man who was exposing himself and masturbating.
Officers later received a report on September 19, 2024, when a man again exposed himself to a woman at the same station and began masturbating.
Following the reports, British Transport Police (BTP) carried out an extensive investigation, including reviewing CCTV footage, conducting witness enquiries, and running plain clothes patrols.
A CCTV appeal issued after the September incident led to several names being submitted to police, but these were ruled out and the case was temporarily closed pending new information.
Then, at around 9.15 pm on August 28, 2025, a 16-year-old girl was at Theale station when she was approached by a man who exposed himself and started masturbating.
The same victim from the September 2024 incident later reported a further encounter on September 30, 2025, when the man made distressing comments towards her.
Detectives launched a new investigation, conducting CCTV reviews, nightly plain clothes operations, and showing CCTV stills to staff and customers at local pubs in the area.
Benyon was arrested on October 22 after staff at a pub in Church Street recognised him from the images and called police.
Officers arrived in an unmarked vehicle and detained him in the beer garden.
Detective Sergeant Antonio Civitillo of British Transport Police said: "The victims were going about their business as usual when Benyon targeted them for his own perverted sexual gratification — causing them considerable shock and distress.
"We’re very grateful that they came forward to report these incidents and have been incredibly supportive of our enquiries to apprehend him.
I’d also like to thank the pub staff who alerted us so quickly when they spotted him.
"Sexual offences on the railway network will never be tolerated and we will always do everything we can to bring offenders to justice." He added that police believe there could be more victims and urged anyone who may have been targeted to text BTP on 61016, quoting Operation Brennabor.
Information can also be provided anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
