Adlington man cleared of bizarre 'flashing' allegation involving dancing with a pie on his head - he was just putting cream on a rash

A vulnerable man who was convicted of exposing himself after balancing a pie on his head has had his conviction quashed after an appeal.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The trial of Steven Gaskell went viral online after magistrates convicted him of committing the bizarre offence outside The Elephant and Castle public house in Adlington, near Chorley in July 2019.

He was sentenced in December 2019 to a community order including a curfew, had been ordered to sign the Sex Offender’s Register for five years.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But the 33-year-old, of Lewis Close, Adlington, had consistently denied the charge of exposure with intent to cause alarm or distress.

Crown CourtCrown Court
Crown Court

His defence at his magistrates court trial was that he was applying cream to a rash.

Since those proceedings his solicitors have obtained evidence from his GP to prove he had a rash, and they also obtained a psychiatric report detailing his issues.

Preston Crown Court heard the psychiatric report had not been available at the time of his trial.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Crown has now seen the report concerning the defendant’s mental health and medical evidence confirming his ailment – the reason he gave for exposing himself without thinking of the consequences to onlookers.

Mr Gaskell’s sentence has expired since he was convicted, but he took his appeal for his conviction to the higher court last week and has been fully acquitted of the exposure charge.

Prosecutors did not oppose his appeal in the circumstances.

The conviction was overturned by Judge Andrew Jefferies QC, who felt Mr Gaskell had responded well to the community order he previously imposed.

The Lancashire Post is more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription to support our journalism. For unlimited access to Lancashire news and information online, you can subscribe here.