News Service from House Harris

Vic: Police hope injuries may identify sex predator

MELBOURNE, Jan 19 AAP - Injuries sustained by a serial flasher after he was caught by family members exposing himself to three girls could hold the key to identifying a serious sexual predator.

The man, who approached the girls on a mountain bike at Springvale in Melbourne's east on January 10, is believed to be responsible for more than 90 incidents over the past five years, police say.

He has also been linked to the sexual assault of an eight-year-old at Springvale South in 2004 and an indecent assault on two sisters, aged eight and 11, at Mount Waverley last year.

Injuries to the man's elbows, nose and face caused by the family members on January 10 as they tried to hold him could help police find the predator, sex crimes squad Detective Inspector Paul O'Halloran told reporters in Melbourne.

The man eventually escaped from the family members after exposing himself to the girls in Gunther Avenue, and fled on his bike.

Det Insp O'Halloran called on anyone who may have noticed a man fitting the description with grazes to his elbows and below his right eye, around or after January 10, to contact police.

"We see this as a golden opportunity, that we may be able to identify this person," he said.

"The injuries and possible medical attentions he has sought will give us an opportunity to identify the man."

He said the young female victims of the multiple assaults and their families had all suffered.

"We shouldn't underestimate the psychological damage to young girls when this man commits these offences, and the distress and concern it causes to parents," Det Insp O'Halloran said.

"Our investigations show there's been 90 incidents since 2003, there's no reason for us to believe he won't continue."

Det Insp O'Halloran described the offender as an opportunist who had struck across Melbourne's south east, including at Caulfield, Murrumbeena, Oakleigh, Huntingdale, Keysborough and Springvale.

The man possibly scoured areas where he thought young children would be without their parents before he struck, Det Insp O'Halloran said.

"We believe that leading up to the offences he will loiter in the area, look for opportunities, and that may even be days before he actually commits the offences," he said.

The man, thought to be aged in his 40s, rides a blue or silver mountain bike, wears a helmet, wraparound sunglasses and tight cycling pants or shorts and carries a backpack.