Gardener, 56, caught ‘playing with his bits’ in swimming pool showers blames living with his mum for public sex act
A PERVY gardener caught “playing with his bits” in a swimming pool's showers blames living with his mum for his public sex act.
Adrian Venables, 56, pleaded guilty to outraging public decency at Northgate Arena Leisure Centre in Chester.
Chester Magistrates' Court heard that two teenage boys reported Venables - who is profoundly deaf - after seeing him masturbating in the showers on August 13, 2018.
reports that prosecutor Rob Youds said: "One of the boys said the male (Venables) was in the shower and stated 'playing with his bits' and masturbating.
"The male looked away at one point and was washing his chest and then started masturbating again.
"[Venables] appeared to be looking around to check no one could see what he was doing.
"He wasn't aware anyone could see he was masturbating until police told him."
He wasn't aware anyone could see he was masturbating until police told him.
Rob Youds, prosecuting
Venables, of Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, was arrested at the leisure centre after the two boys told their parents, who called the cops.
During their investigation, the police were told by Venables that he didn't want to be disrespectful to his mum by masturbating at home, so carried out the sex act in the public showers instead.
Pool staff identified him on CCTV as he is a volunteer with the deaf persons swimming club.
The court was told that Venables has no previous convictions.
ADMITTED CHARGE
The case had been adjourned from last year as it appeared he was confused about the charge itself.
He had been barred from visiting any leisure centres, as part of his bail conditions.
His lawyer, Richard Sibeon, told the court that he "has been profoundly deaf since he was born.
"In the 1960s and '70s he attended a deaf school which at the time was using experimental methods of language, which has been widely considered as a failure."
Sibeon said that the retired gardener was of good character, and had admitted the charge.
A psychiatric report found some "intellectual immaturity", and that "his understanding of the world outside his own bubble was very limited," his lawyer added.
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During his sentencing, Venables was ordered to serve a community order for 12 months, with up to 15 days of rehab.
The court also fined him £100, and he was told to pay £85 in court costs along with an £85 victim surcharge.
Cheshire Live says there was no sexual prevention order imposed due to the lack of intent proved in the outraging public decency charge.
