Description
CCTV operators in Newcastle spotted a man masturbating in the city centre's Manors Car Park, leading to his arrest for outraging public decency.
Dean Chalmers was lying on the ground behind a council vehicle when seen just after 7pm last June. Security staff arrived to find him still exposed.
Prosecutor Neil Pallister said: "They saw the defendant lying in Manors car park masturbating, which was clearly seen on the CCTV.
"While masturbating, the CCTV shows a number of members of the public entering and leaving the car park, who could easily have seen him. After he stopped masturbating, he continued lying on the ground with his penis exposed until security officers arrived in a van and spoke to him."
Chalmers, with 74 prior convictions—including a 102-month jail term in 2015 for sex offences and a suspended sentence last year for failing sex offender registration—pleaded guilty.
Judge Stephen Earl extended the suspended sentence's operational period by six months and imposed an 18-month community order, noting time served on remand.
The judge told him: "Masturbating in a public car park is probably not a good idea. You probably appreciate that now."
Defence lawyer Caroline McGurk said: "The members of the public in the car park before the security officers were called could not easily have seen the defendant because he had taken refuge behind some sort of council vehicle. He believed himself to be completely concealed.
"He went there to feel safe and engaged in an act he believed would not be viewed by anyone. He was genuinely horrified when he realised he had been seen on CCTV and the security officers were called and saw him in the offence was made out.
"The defendant has demonstrated steps to address his offending behaviour. He has been alcohol free since September, which is a result of his incarceration. He has done a lot of thinking while in jail and wants to better himself."