Man caught pleasuring himself in van handed suspended sentence

• Read more: Man caught pleasuring himself in vanTrevor Hollins was using his partner's mobile phone after he had just dropped her off at hospital. He was seen masturbating by a witness, who couldn't believe what he was seeing and was so disturbed by it, he took pictures, called the police and showed them the footage, a court had heard.

Hollins, who later told police he had been "feeling horny" and wanted some excitement, struck in the middle of the day in the driver's seat of the van, on a public road in a built -up, residential area, Burnley magistrates were earlier told.

The 37-year-old, of Berry Street, Burnley, admitted outraging public decency, in June. He had earlier been warned all sentencing options would be open. The defendant received 18 weeks in jail, suspended for 12 months, with a 25-day rehabilitation requirement and must pay £85 costs and a £115 victim surcharge.

Miss Charlotte Crane (prosecuting) had earlier told the court Hollins had dropped his partner off at Burnley General Hospital.

She said Hollins wanted to use his partner's mobile phone to look at some adult sites on the internet.

The prosecutor added: "He decided to park directly outside his mother-in-law's address so he could log into her internet. He then used his partner's mobile phone to access an adult site. He engaged in some form of communication with people on that site, which resulted in him masturbating whilst using the mobile phone.

"The defendant was interviewed and said he was looking for some form of excitement and thought he would take the opportunity while waiting to collect his partner from hospital."

Mr Daniel Frazer (defending) earlier said Hollins was "lightly convicted." There were no sentencing guidelines for the offence.

The solicitor told the court: "It would cross the community threshold, if not into custodial territory."