In 2018, the Offender Database recorded that Richard Skedzielewski, then 30, was placed on the sex offenders register for a series of predatory incidents on the M80 motorway. On Wednesday, 18 April 2018, Skedzielewski, of Kilsyth, North Lanarkshire, appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court, where he admitted to dangerous driving and causing women to view indecent images while in transit.
The investigation established that Skedzielewski targeted two lone female drivers near Stirling by sounding his car horn to attract their attention. Once he drew alongside their vehicles, he drove one-handed while using his other hand to repeatedly display a handheld device showing an indecent image of male genitalia. The victims included a 49-year-old woman and a 26-year-old woman who was travelling with her mother; both reported the “distressing” encounters to the police immediately.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Skedzielewski’s behaviour involved a significant risk to public safety. Falkirk Sheriff Court heard that the defendant undertook one vehicle and moved between lanes in a deliberate attempt to prevent the second victim from overtaking him. Prosecutor Ruaraidh Ferguson stated that the defendant’s actions were a calculated effort to force the women to view the obscene material while they were in a vulnerable position on a high-speed motorway.
The judge noted that the combination of sexual deviance and reckless driving required a formal deferral of sentence for the preparation of background reports. For his actions near Stirling, the court determined that Skedzielewski must be subject to the notification requirements of the sex offenders register. The prosecution noted that the women’s bravery in reporting the incidents was vital to identifying the vehicle and securing the defendant’s admission of guilt.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For his crimes in Scotland, Richard Skedzielewski was handed:
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements were activated immediately upon his admission.
- Judicial Oversight: Convicted at Falkirk Sheriff Court of dangerous driving and sexual offences.
- Sentencing: Deferred until 17 May 2018 for the production of criminal justice social work reports.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Skedzielewski is managed by Police Scotland and the local authority social work department. Due to the nature of his “targeted” behaviour on the M80 near Stirling, his management is subject to oversight by the Public Protection Unit to monitor his conduct behind the wheel and his use of digital devices.
As a member of the Sex Offenders Register, Skedzielewski must comply with notification requirements regarding his residence in Kilsyth, North Lanarkshire, for the duration of his term. Authorities state that his pattern of using technology to harass and expose himself to women remains a focus of his risk management. Any breach of his registration conditions or future court-ordered restrictions will result in immediate arrest and a return to Falkirk Sheriff Court.
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