A sun-bathing pensioner who removed his thong when police went to arrest him has escaped jail.

Serial flasher Richard Stofer – who in 2005 was given a five-year anti-social behaviour order (Asbo), banning him from stripping in public anywhere in Sussex – was handed a 12-week suspended jail sentence at Lewes Crown Court last week.

The 68-year-old former supermarket worker was jailed in 2008 for eight months because of his flashing exploits and breaching his Asbo.

The court was told that Stofer’s latest two offences related to him sunbathing naked on a public beach near his home in May, and taking his thong off when officers went to arrest him in June.

A Sussex Police spokeswoman said: “We are obviously aware of Richard Stofer and have worked hard to obtain evidence to charge and take him to court for indecent exposure. He is now on the sexual offenders’ register.

“We are working with partner agencies like Eastbourne Borough Council to try to deal with him.” The council said they could not comment on Stofer, of Milton Road, Eastbourne.

In July 2006, police caught him lying naked in a neighbour’s garden in Victoria Drive, Eastbourne, while she was out.

He exposed himself to staff at the Tesco petrol station near his home in Eastbourne in April 2007.

Stofer also spent five days in custody in 2007 for allegedly flouting his Asbo by sunbathing naked on Hollywell beach, Eastbourne.

In 2009, Stofer told The Argus he loved sunbathing naked.

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