What is Obscene Exposure ?

Obscene exposure is the deliberate exposure in public or in view of the general public by a person of a portion or portions of their body, in circumstances where the exposure is contrary to local moral or other standards of appropriate behaviour.

Case law/Jurisdiction

An offence of Obscene Exposure is what is known as Summary offence which means that the matter will be finalised in the Local Court.

The nature and elements of the offence of Obscene Exposure were considered in R v Benson; Ex parte Tubby (1882) 8 VLR (L) 2 (FC) (at 5): A person may still find themselves in trouble for obscene exposure even if they are unseen, as the court in a joint judgment remarked in

“It is quite unnecessary to prove that the prisoner was actually seen by anyone on the highway when he was exposing himself; it is sufficient that he was in view and could have been seen by any person there.”

What must the prosecution prove?

Since Obscene Exposure offence is a criminal offence, the burden of proof lies on the Prosecution.

The prosecution must prove each of the elements in the charge beyond reasonable doubt.

That is a high standard of proof that the prosecution must achieve before someone can be convicted of Obscene Exposure.

To establish Obscene Exposure, the prosecution must prove each of the following matters beyond reasonable doubt;

  • You exposed yourself in an obscene way
  • You did so within sight of the public place or a school

The Law

section 5 of the Summary Offences Act 1988 (NSW) states:

A person shall not, in or within view from a public place or a school, wilfully and obscenely expose his or her person.

If you are charged with the offence of Obscene Exposure what are your options?

National Criminal Lawyers have been successful in defending numerous Obscene Exposure charges where the prosecution could not establish each of the elements of Obscene Exposure.

NCL are the best Criminal Defence Lawyers Sydney has to offer who uniquely provide the following options for those who have been charged with Obscene Exposure;

  1. We will negotiate with prosecutors (police or DPP) (a term referred to as “plea negotiations”) to request that the charge is withdrawn, downgraded or fact sheets amended;
  2. NCL will Plead Not Guilty and go to hearing/trial and persuade the Court that prosecution has not proven its case beyond reasonable doubt;
  3. Plead guilty to the elements of the charge and then dispute the facts (at a special “disputed facts” hearing) with the view of having you sentenced less harshly; and/or
  4. Plead guilty with full acceptance of the facts as set out by the police and make strong submissions on your behalf requesting that the Court not record a criminal conviction.

Fequently Asked Questions

Why National Criminal Lawyers?

There are three reasons to choose National Criminal Lawyers:

1. Your best chance to get the result you’re after

We are the experts in either beating or having criminal charges withdrawn AND/OR obtaining the least restrictive penalty available. This is because no matter which option you choose within our tailored Options at Law you will be dealing with experienced criminal lawyers who can make sure the evidence is not only obtained properly but also that your case is prepared and presented to the highest best practice standards possible. This is also done without breaking your pocket.

2. How a Senior Defence Lawyer Can Help You Deal With Criminal Charges

No matter which option at law you choose, National Criminal Lawyers can guarantee that a Senior Defence Lawyer will represent you. This means that with our over 25 years of Combined criminal law experience you will get the best result possible.

3. National Criminal Lawyers are the best defenders of your rights

At National Criminal Lawyers we know that Criminal Law is a matter of Human Rights. For this reason, we take pride and passion in representing our clients. This pride and passion to assist those charged with an alleged or actual breach of the criminal law is to us a matter of righteous necessity and in that sense, you can always rest assured that National Criminal Lawyers are the best defenders of your rights. This true not only when the police have just simply got it wrong OR if they have got it right then we can speak with you and make sure you get you the best result available.

If you have been charged with any Obscene Exposure offence our Team at National Criminal Lawyers are well-versed and specialists in having charges either withdrawn and otherwise achieving favourable outcomes.

Please contact us for more information about your options.

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