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66-year-old Samuel Houston confirmed that he was aware of the seven charges against him
Amongst the raft of offences, 66-year-old Samuel Houston is alleged to have outraged public decency by “pressing your naked buttocks” against the window of Portstewart Post Office which was “visible to members of the public.”
Standing in the dock of Coleraine Magistrates Court, Houston confirmed that he was aware of the seven charges against him, alleged to have been committed between 29 February last year and 26 February this year.
Houston, whose former address was at Royal Mail, Portstewart Promenade, faces two counts each of sending an unwanted sexual image, exposure and outraging public decency as well as a single charge of harassing a male over that 12 month period.
The details of the charges accuse Houston of sending the “unwanted sexual images” to the complainant, exposing his genitals to him and also that he “committed an act of a lewd, obscene and disgusting nature and outraging public decency, by pressing your naked buttocks against a window visible to members of the public.”
None of the alleged facts of the case were heard today but when Houston was originally charged, Const. McCormick outlined how the police received a report from the alleged victim that Houston had made “unwanted comments towards him regarding bending over and exposing himself” and about the man “bending over to stack shelves.”
The court heard how the male worked in a retail outlet in the town and he regularly did the banking for the shop, but when he went to the Post Office to make lodgements for the business, that was when Houston allegedly made the comments.
It was alleged that during those visits, Houston “had his phone in full view showing an image of a male penis wearing a c*** ring.”
“This occurred most weeks he went to the Post Office and on 23/3/24 he captured a picture of the phone, with the image, from the customer side of the counter,” the court heard.
The behaviour continued until the male raised the issue with his manager, so the Post Office banking visits stopped but Const. McCormick told the court there were other alleged incidents.
The male in question routinely took his breaks in his car, which was often parked across the street from “the defendant’s second home” and the court heard how, according to the male, Houston would wave over at him before disappearing.
When he reappeared, said the officer, Houston was “completely naked and showing his buttocks towards the window in full view of the witness and any passing members of the public.”
“It is alleged this happened on multiple occasions throughout the year until the witness captured a picture on his phone on 17 January,” the constable told the court, adding that the witness believed “this was targeted at him and this was unwanted sexual advances.”
Samuel Houston
Houston was arrested and when his home was searched under a warrant, officers “seized and exhibited a silver c*** ring, similar to the one in the image seen by the witness.”
During formal interviews Houston “made partial admissions” but claimed there was no intent as this all happened “as a coincidence.”
In court today, a prosecuting lawyer submitted there was a case to answer and as defence counsel Grant Powles confirmed he had no contrary submissions, District Judge Peter King told the court he was satisfied a prima facie case has been established.
Although Houston was afforded the opportunity to comment on the charges or to call evidence on his own behalf, the pensioner declined.
Freeing him on continuing bail, Judge King returned the case to Antrim Crown Court for trial, scheduling the arraignment on 3 November.
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