A former Kent Police sergeant has been handed a five-year sexual risk order after being caught naked in a park near a children's play area. Simon Ince, 52, claimed he had been jogging and was wringing sweat from his clothes, but a judge ruled he acted for sexual gratification and enjoyed the thrill of being outdoors.
Arrest and Initial Claims
Body-worn footage captured the moment Ince was arrested on suspicion of exposure and outraging public decency. He told officers, “I know, I’m a police officer.” Ince claimed he had been running and was merely cooling down, but horrified dog walkers had spotted him nude in the Horsted Valley nature reserve in Chatham, Kent, on February 1, 2024.
Evidence from Phone
Police discovered images and a video on Ince’s phone showing him masturbating while naked in the same woodland area in August and September 2023. Ince claimed the material was intended for his partner, but Kent Police representative Isabella Crowdy told the court that his wife did not recall the conversation.
Judge’s Ruling
At Medway Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, Judge Roy Brown described Ince’s evidence as “evasive and untruthful.” He said, “I do not accept for a moment that he took his clothes off because he was too warm. He did it for sexual gratification.” The judge added that Ince “enjoyed the thrill of doing it outdoors” and was “reckless,” noting that there was no evidence he had addressed his sexual behaviour.
Order Conditions
The sexual risk order bans Ince from removing his underwear or urinating in public, except in a public toilet, and prohibits him from entering the Horsted Valley nature reserve. Breaching the order could result in up to five years in prison. Ince, who now works for a utility contractor, was also ordered to pay £2,516 in costs.
Police Response
Detective Superintendent Mat Scott of Kent Police’s Professional Standards department welcomed the order, stating, “Ince’s activities will be closely monitored throughout that period, and any breach of the order will constitute a criminal offence. The people of Kent expect the very best from their police officers. Ince betrayed that trust.”
