Police are investigating reports of indecent exposure in a popular family park after a man was caught performing a sex act at a picnic bench.
According to a post on social media, a Swansea local spotted the man in Penllergaer Valley Woods and "exchanged a few words" with him before he ran off. The man is said to have been in his late 50s or early 60s with grey hair.
The woods are a popular walking spot for families, but in recent years it has become a notorious 'dogging' hotspot, with directions to the car park and nearby trails posted online on social networking sites. You can read more Swansea stories here.
READ MORE: Popular woodland used by scouts and families becomes dogging hotspot
Dogging is when people gather to watch others having sex, often in vehicles. It is not a criminal offence to engage in sexual activity outdoors, but there are a number of offences that could result from it.
In 2020, a resident who lives close to the forest told us : "You see people sitting in their cars with their lights on and there's others who sneak off into the bushes sometimes.
"I talk to people who won't walk through the car park area because of the doggers. You could see 12 cars – all guys – in the car park, which can be intimidating for some.
"It's right next to an estate where there's 500 houses with kids who like to go and play or swim in the stream. During the three months of lockdown the car park was locked off and it was great – there were no problems."
Since 2020, police have upped their efforts to patrol the area, encouraging locals to report instances of 'lewd' behaviour.
A spokesperson for South Wales Police said on Friday: "South Wales Police was called just before 5.50pm yesterday evening, Thursday 27 January following reports of indecent exposure in Penllergare Valley Woods.
"Enquiries are ongoing to identify the suspect and officers are paying particular attention to the area during their patrols.
Anyone who has information which might help the investigation can contact South Wales Police by one of the below means quoting occurrence number 2200030515."
If you want to report a crime, you can:
- Go to: https://bit.ly/SWPProvideInfo
- Send a private message on Facebook/Twitter
- Email: SWP101@south-wales.police.uk
- Phone: 101
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