A 14-YEAR-OLD boy lay in hiding before jumping out and indecently exposing himself to young women including a 16-year-old schoolgirl.

Blackburn magistrates heard the boy mainly targeted females returning to their cars in the Shear Bank Road and Linford Road area after they finished work. Victims who provided impact statements told of their shock and terror and how they had stopped parking in the area as a result of their experiences.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to seven charges of indecently exposing himself and was remanded on bail for the preparation of a pre-sentence report. He will also be subject to an AIM (Assessment, Intervention and Moving on) assessment that will provide the magistrates with an in-depth, intensive assessment focussing on sexual behaviour.

Ordering the reports, the chairman of the magistrates, Austin Molloy, said the offences were pre-planned. “You hid from the victims before exposing yourself and they were all put in great fear,” said Mr Molloy. “We are going to ask for a report with custody being considered.”

The first offence was committed in November and others in December, May and June.

Parveen Akhtar, prosecuting, said the offences had been committed just after 5pm close to a nursery school and a care home.

Damian Pickup, defending, said the big question was why had the boy behaved in this way.

“He is from a good family,” said Mr Pickup. “He plays football and cricket and on the face of it appears to be a normal 14-year-old lad.

“When he was interviewed by the police he had no explanation, saying it ‘just happened’.”