One of the UK’s most senior judges has been cleared by one of Britain's most senior judges of exposing himself twice to a woman whilst shopping in a Marks & Spencer’s food store, located in Ludgate Hill, London.
Sir William Pompemby, 56, of Thames Ditton, Surrey, was accused of flashing at the same woman whilst shopping in other stores in the area on 16th and 24th March 2009.
But the Court of Appeals judge told magistrates the allegations were a case of mistaken identity, as photographs of the judge "could have been any 56 year old judge by the name of Sir William Pompemby".
City of Westminster magistrates said the evidence to identify Sir William was insufficient, as the victim photographing him twice on separate occasions, following him from the store to his place of work, and seeing his cock in a packed food outlet, were all inadmissible in the court said Senior District Judge Justin Walderslade, who will now not have to find a new golf partner.
Judge Walderslade blamed in store security for "failing to investigate and identify someone who wasn't a judge".
"Had they done so, we would never have been in this unfortunate position," he said.
Sir William was cleared by his fellow judge after being identified in a video identity parade after demonstrating that it was impossible to extract one's penis through the front of a pair of underpants with a slot designed to extract one's penis.
Judge Walderslade conceded that the female victim had told "nothing but the truth" in court, but insisted that "we can't go around locking up judges for minor sexual offences. The courts would grind to a halt, making a mockery of the British justice system".
