Essex man admits carrying out 'sexual acts' outside schools

Lee Murray, of Hallowell Down, South Woodham Ferrers, was due to stand trial charged with three counts of carrying out acts of outraging public decency.

However, the 39-year-old changed his pleas and admitted each charge at a hearing at Chelmsford Crown Court, on September 23.

Essex Police’s community policing team launched an investigation after receiving a number of reports from children.

During the first incident on October 5, 2022, a teenage girl was walking along a road in Colchester in the direction of a school when she noticed a vehicle parked nearby.

She then spotted a man sat inside carrying out an indecent act.

Two further reports were received from children which alleged a similar activity on October 11 2022, also in the close vicinity of schools in the area.

On both occasions the children reported the man continued in his actions after noticing he had been spotted and did not look shocked or surprised.

They reported he stared at them while carrying out the act.

The force - an image of two police officers (Image: Essex Police)

After obtaining a description of the car, a silver Peugeot Estate, and a description of the man involved, officers established that Lee’s car had been caught travelling through a bus lane in Colchester on one of the dates.

He was arrested on November 17, 2022.

Con Matthew Essam, officer in the case, said: “These were really alarming reports and we understood entirely the concern that will have been felt both by parents and school staff.

“This was a continued, troubling course of conduct undertaken by Murray.

“It is clear he chose to carry out these acts in the presence of children and was not deterred by them noticing him.

“Offences with a sexual element, threatening the safety and wellbeing of children and carried out so close to schools are utterly unacceptable and rightly resulted in a detailed and forensic investigation.

“This work included activity around CCTV, door-to-door enquiries and mobile phone evidence.

“We took these reports really seriously from the outset and ensured we traced the vehicle seen by the witnesses, leading us directly to the culprit.

“Since we secured charges, we know this case has taken a long time to reach trial.

“The witnesses have displayed courage and patience in sticking with us as we awaited the court process.

“Murray eventually and sensibly chose not to put the clear evidence against him to the test, changing his pleas to guilty on the first day of trial.”

Lee is set to be sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court on October 24.