Nicholas Read Arrested, Dwarf of 'Harry Potter' and 'Star Wars' Flashed Young Girls
Nicholas Read was arrested for exposing himself to a female student on a Manchester, England train, and now the actor- he has played a goblin in the first "Harry Potter" movie and an ewok in "Star Wars films- faces jail time.
Nicholas Read was arrested after flashing a student and taking a picture of her terrified friend with a cell phone on Jan. 21. The 41-year-old dwarf admitted to his crime, but faces imprisonment because it's the second time he's done it. In October of 2010, he performed lewd sex acts under a juggler's hat for 30 minutes.
"The bottom line is you are in breach of a suspended sentence," Manchester Crown Court Judge Roger Thomas told the diminutive actor, according to Daily Mail. "The normal consequence of that is to prison you go and that may have to be the outcome."
In October Read's crude sexual acts were done next to a schoolgirl on a Leicester train. The nature of the crime led to a 20-week suspended sentence. The Wade Close, Cheadle, Staffordshire man's sexual crimes date back to 1995.
Read's lawyer, Rachel Faux, attempted to claim that her client exhibited signs of mental illness, which could be blamed for his actions. Judge Thomas, however, saw "very little" evidence of psychiatric problems and dismissed her efforts to prepare an evaluation.
Thomas did admit that the case was "unusual" though, and said that Read could be interviewed. If, after that, a psychiatric report is necessary, it will be considered.
"This is an unusual sort of case and the judge will be informed by the Probation Service about what's been going on over the last 12 months and what sort of risk you pose hereafter," the judge said.
Read's actions were not without consequences: he can no longer use the train, and he must place his name on the sex offender's registry.
The actor will be sentenced July 13.
