A MAN has been given a community order for exposing himself to cleaners while in his office.

Stephen Dick, from Langton Lea, High Shincliffe, Durham, appeared before Consett Magistrates Court today (Monday, March 25).

Police were called to Tursdale Business Park, near Durham, just before 2.30pm on December 20 after cleaners reported seeing the 50-year-old performing a sex act on himself through an office window.

Janet Coxon, prosecuting, said: “The first cleaner said she had looked through the window and saw the man.

“She maintained eye contact for around five seconds before she dropped her mop in shock.”

Two other members of staff were called and confirmed they saw the same thing.

Ms Coxon added: “The cleaners describe being horrified and were certainly affected by what they had seen.”

But when Dick was arrested he told police he was applying cream to a genital wart, which he showed officers interviewing him.

Dick pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to outraging public decency in a public place.

The court heard Dick was given a police caution in May 2005 after he was seen by a student exposing himself in his car.

He told officers he was applying cream to a genital wart on that occasion as well.

Mitigating, Mohammed Aftab said: “He accepted what he did was wrong. He should not have done it. Mr Dick recognises the impact he had on the cleaners.”

The court heard Dick has made an appointment with his GP for an appointment at hospital to have the wart removed.

He was sentenced to a 12 month community order, 60 hours unpaid work and told he must pay £85 prosecution costs and a £60 victim surcharge.