Q'town 'exhibitionist' to be sentenced today

By Matt Ramsden

EAST LONDON -- Queenstown businessman Peter Brotherton, who was convicted of five counts of public indecency and two counts of crimen injuria last month, will be sentenced in the regional court here today.

Smartly dressed in a dark suit and maroon shirt, the 32-year-old yesterday sat impassively as his attorney, Willem Opperman, and specialist sexual offences prosecutor, Indra Goberdan, in turn quizzed Cape Town psychologist Larry Loebenstein, who has been treating him for "exhibitionism."

Loebenstein said it was unfortunate that Botherton's mental disorder had resulted in a criminal act and his arrest had motivated him to do something about his problem.

He needed further treatment for up to two years. But even after that, Loebenstein said, he could not guarantee that Brotherton would not expose his genitalia to women and young girls.

The incidents for which he was found guilty happened in December 1996 and December 1997 when he exposed himself to girls aged 13 and 14 and a 30-year-old woman.

Brotherton had three previous criminal convictions for which he was fined R200 each.