A CLUBBER who told late night revellers he was pleasuring himself told the courts a different story.

Stephen Fernandes was on his way home from a night out in Swindon when he was said to have stared into a woman’s car window while performing a lewd act.

But despite telling the woman’s irate boyfriend that he had been masturbating, the 31-year-old told magistrates that he had pulled down his trousers after getting caught short on the way home.

Pauline Lambert, prosecuting, said the woman and her friends were in the car park off John Street in Swindon town centre at around 1am on February 17 when she became aware of a man in the corner of the multi-storey.

Initially, she thought he was urinating. The man walked towards the car, staring at the woman and her friend through the vehicle window. She realised the man was pleasuring himself.

The woman warned her boyfriend, sat in the other car. He asked the man what he was doing. “I’m masturbating,” he said.

The boyfriend told police: “The way he said it was so casual.” Ms Lambert told JPs: “As he started to put his penis back into his jeans he walked off, saying ‘Have you got a problem with it?’”

Seeing the man exposing himself left the woman’s boyfriend feeling uncomfortable and shocked, Ms Lambert added.

Fernandes, of Poulton Street, pleaded guilty to outraging public decency by exposing himself. He had initially denied the charge, but changed his plea before a trial was set to take place.

Defending, Mark Glendenning said his client was of previous good character, had been out for the evening at a nightclub, where he had drunk alcohol. He walked home through the car park, where he had felt the call of nature.

“He is of the view his behaviour effectively is urination not masturbation,” the solicitor said.

“But, clearly, he has made that admission to a member of the public. He apologises for that. It’s clearly something that’s regrettable. He’s lost his good character.

“This is something he deeply regrets. He deeply regrets finding himself in front of this court.

“It will cause him some difficulties in this community. It will cause him some difficulties back home in Goa.”

Magistrates sentenced Fernandes to an 18 month community order, fined him £88 and ordered he complete 20 rehabilitation days. He was also ordered to pay £285 in costs and a victim surcharge.