An Inverness man who exposed himself in front of two police officers in the city centre was ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid community work yesterday.
Karl Macdonald had earlier been found guilty after trial at Inverness Sheriff Court of committing the public indecency offence in Bank Street in the early hours of December 13.
Sheriff David Sutherland deferred sentence on the 40-year-old until yesterday when Macdonald was placed under social work supervision for two years and ordered to participate with any offender awareness or alcohol treatment programmes if required by his superviser.
Macdonald, of 31 Kessock Avenue, also admitted a second charge of carrying 1.7grams of cannabis resin on the night in question.
The court had heard from two police witnesses, Constables Allan Cameron and Greig Millar, who were on foot patrol in the area at the time of the incident.
Constable Cameron said that while walking from Bank Lane on to Church Street the officers were approached by a member of the public who had seen “a man exposing himself down the lane”.
He said that when they walked back down the lane towards Bank Street, they saw Macdonald standing opposite the Mercure Hotel, facing the River Ness and carrying out a sex act.
Constable Cameron said that he told Macdonald to “sort himself out and take a seat”, adding: “He was under the influence of alcohol and he was flustered.”
Constable Cameron ruled out the possibility that Macdonald was urinating.
Macdonald’s defence agent, solicitor Patrick O’Dea, said the common thread of his client’s offending was alcohol and supervision would help him.
