A DRUNK man exposed his gentials and touched himself in front of shocked onlookers.

Ian Fortnam was seen acting suspiciously before entering the Oxfam shop in North Street in Brighton.

Police on patrol saw him go inside, and had received calls about the 50-year-old’s behaviour at 3.30pm on July 21 this year.

Officers followed him and saw him at the back of the shop with his trousers undone, holding his genitals and making noises.

The unemployed alcoholic later told police he had drank so much wine that he could not remember the incident.

At Brighton Magistrates’ Court he admitted the exposure charge under the Sexual Offences Act, and has been put on the sex offenders register for five years.

Elizabeth Green, prosecuting, said: “Police were called by members of the public about the defendant’s behaviour.

“They pointed him out, and police saw im enter the Oxfam charity shop. They followed him, and when they were inside, they saw him at the back of the shop.

“His trousers were undone, he was holding his genitals, making gestures and noises towards a member of the public.

“He continued in that manner towards the police officers.”

Fortnam appeared in court wearing a red chequered shirt, a silver tie with square pattern, and jeans, where he confirmed his address at Brunswick Place in Hove and his age.

Linda Kerry, defending, said he previously suffered injuries in a car crash which affected him badly.

She said: “He doesn’t seek to use that as some kind of excuse. Clearly he had drank to excess on the day, and that had an effect on him perhaps more than anybody else in those circumstances.

“He remembers very little of what he did, but appreciates that his behaviour was appalling and would have been very, very upsetting for the other people in the shop who witnessed it.

“Mr Fortnam is embarrassed and remorseful about the way he behaved.”

Magistrates listened to the evidence, and ordered Fortnam to clean up his act.

He must complete 10 activity requirement days as part of a year-long community order.

They imposed an £80 fine, alongside a victim surcharge of £85, and prosecution costs of £85.

The £250 sum will be taken out of his benefit payments in the coming months.

Fortnam was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register at a police station within three days.