A man was caught pleasuring himself on a bus after a 13-year-old inadvertently caught him in a photo with his hands down his trousers.
David Cotton was performing the sex act during a journey between Lochgelly and Lochore on July 15 this year.
The youngster and two friends were on the top deck of the bus, sending pictures on Snapchat.
They were shocked to spot Cotton in one of their snaps, with his hand down his trousers, and his act became more blatant as the journey continued.
Days later, while being escorted to prison, Cotton masturbated for about 25 minutes in front of a shocked G4S staff member.
He appeared last week at Dunfermline Sheriff Court via video link to prison to admit his offending.
Sex act on bus
Prosecutor Jamie Hilland described the first incident to the court, involving the 13-year-old.
“While taking photos, she saw on a photo she had just taken that a male sitting at the back of the bus had his hands down the front of his trousers”.
The girl alerted her friends and as the bus journey continued, noticed Cotton had taken his penis out and was masturbating.
She then took a photograph of him performing the sex act.
The girl and her friends left the bus and alerted the driver.
She also contacted her mother, informing her there was “a man on the bus with his willy out,” and her mother overheard a friend saying the man had been “w***ing”.
The woman contacted police, who were provided with the photograph taken by the girl.
Cotton was traced near at a convenience store in Lochore.
‘Sexual noises’ in prison van
Mr Hilland said that on July 17, Cotton was being transported to Perth Prison in a van.
A staff member saw he had his trousers down and penis exposed.
The fiscal depute continued: “The accused has then proceeded to grunt, groan and make various other sexual noises.”
The employee saw Cotton masturbating and has “frozen”, due to feeling uncomfortable.
Mr Hilland said: “The accused proceeded to masturbate for about 25 minutes”.
The incident was later reported to police.
Placed on Register
Cotton pled guilty to intentionally exposing his genitals in a sexual manner to the 13-year-old child and thereafter masturbating.
He also admitted intentionally engaging in a sexual activity in the presence of a prison escort staff member by masturbating in front of them.
Sheriff Charles Lugton deferred sentence to December 6 and Cotton, formerly of Lochleven Road, Lochore, was placed on the Sex Offenders Register in the meantime.
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