13-05-2025
Ex postmaster accused of repeatedly exposing himself has bail varied to go to Wimbledon
Samuel Houston is accused of repeatedly exposing himself through the windows of a Co Derry post office
A former postmaster accused of repeatedly exposing himself through the windows of a Co Derry post office has had his bail varied to allow him to attend Wimbledon.
Defence counsel Grant Powles told Coleraine Magistrates Court that as well as attending the world famous tennis tournament, Samuel Houston will also be visiting relatives when he travels to London at the start of July.
Lodging a formal bail variation application, the barrister told the court Houston had booked the trip last year and on checking this phone as he stood in the dock, the 65-year-old confirmed he would be in London from 1-7 July.
Houston, whose address is still at Royal Mail, Portstewart Promenade despite the fact the former postmaster has sold the business, faces two charges of indecent exposure by committing an ' act of lewd, obscene and disgusting nature' and one of engaging in indecent behaviour in the delivery office of the Portstewart Post Office covering a global time span between 1 September 2023 and 18 January this year.
Samuel Houston
When the pensioner was initially charged Const. McCormick outlined how the police received a report from a man that Houston, the owner of his local Post Office, had made 'unwanted comments towards him regarding bending over and exposing himself' to the witness and about the man 'bending over to stack shelves.'
The court heard that the male worked in a retail outlet in the town and he regularly did the banking for the shop but when he went to the Post Office to make the lodgements, that was when Houston made the comments.
It was alleged that during those visits, Houston 'had his phone in full view showing an image of a male penis wearing a c*** ring.'
'This occurred most weeks he went to the Post Office and on 23/3/24 he captured a picture of the phone with the image from the customer side of the counter,' the court heard.
The behaviour continued until the male raised the issue with his manager so the banking visits to the Post Office stopped but Const. McCormick told the court there were other alleged incidents.
The male in question routinely took his breaks in his car which was often parked across the street from 'the defendant's second home' and the court heard how, according to the male, Houston would wave over at him before disappearing.
When he re-appeared, said the cop, Houston was 'completely naked and showing his buttocks towards the window in full view of the witness and any passing members of the public.'
'It is alleged this happened on multiple occasions throughout the year until the witness captured a picture on his phone on 17 January,' the cop told the court, adding that the witness believed 'this was targeted at him and this was unwanted sexual advances.'
He became so concerned that he contacted the police and provided a statement as well as giving police the images he had taken and the identity another man who had also seen Houston's backside.
Officers spoke to that individual and he confirmed that 'he was walking past the same Post Office in September or October and he saw a completely naked male inside the Post office with his buttocks pointing at the window where anyone in the street could see.'
Samuel Houston
News in 90 Seconds - May 13th
This witness described the naked male as approximately six feet tall, with gray/white hair, in his late 50s or early 60s 'and this description matches that of the defendant who is the owner of the store.
Houston was arrested and when his home was searched under a warrant, officers 'seized and exhibited a silver c*** ring, similar to the one in the image seen by the first witness.'
During formal interviews Houston 'made partial admissions' but claimed there was no intent as this all happened 'as a coincidence.'
The court heard that Houston has a relevant conviction arising from an incident early last year when he was prosecuted in Laganside Magistrates Court for indecent behaviour after he was caught driving around Botanic Avenue 'with no top and no trousers and an erect penis.'
In court yesterday District Judge Peter King said he was happy to suspend the residence and curfew bail conditions so that Houston could travel to London.
Adjourning the case to 30 June, he excused the pensioner from attending on that date.
