Neil Shipperley: Ex-Premier League footballer who flashed woman and daughter, 16, avoids jail

Former Premier League striker Neil Shipperley, who admitted exposing himself to a mother and her 16-year-old daughter, has avoided a jail term.

The 45-year-old, who played for several clubs including Chelsea and Crystal Palace, showed his genitals and masturbated in front of the pair as he drove alongside them in west London in September, a court heard.

Prosecutor Shaan Sethi told Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court that Shipperley had wound his window down and stopped his van near them.

He said the woman and her daughter had turned to thank Shipperley for letting them cross the road, but then noticed that “he was holding his penis in his hand and staring directly at them”.

The court heard they walked away, but Shipperley carried on following them.

Mr Sethi said: “He continued to stare at the two women this time while masturbating” – adding that the pair tried to take a photo of his number plate.

“While the mother was on the phone to the police, they saw the defendant had parked himself between two buses further down the street, again staring at the two while masturbating.”

The woman was left feeling “disgusted” by the incident on Station Road in Hayes.

In a victim impact statement, she said: “Some people may see flashers as pests or a nuisance to society, my view of Neil Shipperley is as a predator.

“His aim was to intimidate us, to violate us, to shock us and to scare us.”

She added: “My 16-year-old daughter was horrified and kept asking me ‘mum what would have happened if I was on my own and you weren’t with me’?”.

Shipperley, of West Drayton, west London, came face-to-face with the woman again when he voluntarily arrived at a police station and apologised, the court was told.

She also claimed that when she saw him, he had told her that if someone had done what he did to his own son “he would want to kill them”.

During his first court appearance last month, the former centre forward pleaded guilty to the charges against him and has “expressed anguish, embarrassment, shame, but above all remorse”, according to Sarah O’Kane, mitigating for Shipperley.

She added: “He is in short, appalled by his actions and he wishes to apologise unreservedly to the complaint in this case”.

Ms O’Kane said he had sought counselling and had been dealing with a number of personal issues, including the death of his father, gambling and debts.

She explained: “Everything came to a crescendo on the day in question. This was, he thinks on reflection, a cry for help.”

He showed little emotion during Wednesday’s court appearance where he was ordered to complete a 12-month community order.

The court told him he had committed a “serious offence” that had left his victim “appalled”.

As well as the community order, which includes a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement, Shipperley must also complete 120 hours’ unpaid work.

He has also been told to pay a £90 victim surcharge, £85 in costs and £200 in compensation.

He is subject to a five-year sexual offences notification requirement order and must report to Hayes police station within three days.

(c) Sky News 2019: Neil Shipperley: Ex-Premier League footballer who flashed woman and daughter, 16, avoids jail