Police apologise for describing flasher as man with 'small penis'

Police have apologised for describing a man who was performing a sex act in public as having a "small penis".

North Yorkshire Police asked for the public's help on Monday evening to find a naked, overweight suspect following an incident in York.

The original statement, which police say left a number of people upset due to "too much detail", read: " The suspect… has very little chest or pubic hair, no obvious tattoos or scars, and he has what was described as a small penis."

But on Tuesday, the force backtracked into an apology and said: "On the evening of November 19, we posted an appeal on Facebook to help identify a suspect in the York area who performed a sexual act in public.

"The appeal included a description of the naked man, which we accept went into too much detail.

"This has caused upset to a number of people who read the appeal and we unreservedly apologise for any offence caused."

The apology continued: "The appeal was quickly removed and a more appropriately worded version posted on the force website."

The revised appeal removed a description of the man's sexual organs.

It said officers in York are investigating "a disturbing incident in which an overweight, naked man performed a sex act on himself in front of a woman student".

They said this happened at 1.15pm on Sunday as the 20-year-old woman was walking alone on Windmill Lane and on to a woodland cycle path in the direction of Hull Road.

The suspect is described as a fat white man, with a very pale complexion, aged between 35 and 45, and around 5ft 10in tall.

Most of the people commenting on the revised Facebook appeal said they preferred the original.

One man posted: "I don't see a problem with the original post. It certainly got the message out as everyone shared it. Once again the snowflakes get their way."