Naked man in bushes with pheromone wipes, condoms and kitchen paper 'was sunbathing'

An 82-year-old man has admitted outraging public decency after he was found naked hiding in the bushes in Alvaston Park, Derby. Sidney Wilson told police that he had been catching the "last of the sun's rays" on that warm September day, as well as testing an insect repellant. In his bag, officers found some pheromone wipes, condoms and kitchen paper, Derby Crown Court heard.



Handing Wilson, of Alvaston, a 12-month community order, Judge Nirmal Shant QC said: "The main issue in this case is that you need to understand this sort of behaviour is not acceptable." She said she thought a court order that addressed his attitude towards the matter was the appropriate sentence. He was told he must attend sessions with the probation service to talk about his behaviour. Judge Shant said that, if he did not comply with the order, he would be sent to jail. The court heard that Wilson had not had any previous convictions.

Richard Thatcher, prosecuting, said: "On September 26, a probation officer had a group of young men with him, working in Alvaston Park. He was driving in a van and as he pulled up, one said he had seen a man in the bushes - naked." The court heard the probation officer walked over to Wilson who was "crouched down and fully naked" and asked him what he was doing. "He said he was in fact sunbathing," said Mr Thatcher. "The probation officer said he didn't believe him and was going to effect a citizen's arrest and told him to get dressed, which he did."



The court heard the police were called and Wilson was arrested on suspicion of outraging public decency. Mr Thatcher said: "It was a warm day and there were a number of families around but there was no suggestion they had seen him." The court heard how Wilson told officers he had been sunbathing for about 45 minutes. Claire Moran, in mitigation, said: "The probation service assesses him as being at a low risk of further offending. He isn't of the best of health and is on a lot of medication. He recently had a stay in hospital for anaemia and has undergone blood transfusions."