A 37-year-old Sri Lankan man has appeared in court for a string of offences, including immigration violations, indecent exposure, and public order offences, following incidents in Southampton and Portsmouth.
Sukirthan Thangrasha, of New Road, Portsmouth, a foreign national originally from Sri Lanka, was arrested after a series of incidents over the summer. Some of the alleged offences took place near the Highfield House Hotel in Portswood, Southampton, which is currently accommodating asylum seekers who entered the UK.
Hampshire Police earlier reported that on Friday, 15 August, a 25-year-old man was assaulted on Highfield Lane in Southampton, although he was not seriously injured. On the same day, a man was also reported to have indecently exposed himself in the same area. A further incident took place on Monday, 15 September, when police responded to a public order offence at Kingston Cemetery, near New Road in Portsmouth. No-one was hurt during this incident.
Thangrasha has been charged with common assault under Section 39 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988, indecent exposure under Section 66 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, a public order offence under Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986, and entering the United Kingdom illegally under Section 24 of the Immigration Act 1971.
He appeared at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court earlier today where he was remanded in custody to appear at the city’s crown court on October 20 with a trial date set for March 20 next year. He faces charges of common assault, indecent exposure, a public order offence and entering the UK illegally contrary to Section 24 of the Immigration Act 1971.
