Former The Heights teacher Marcus Bird sentenced for exposing himself in KFC drive thru

A teacher, who has since lost his job at a large public school, has been sentenced for exposing himself to a ‘disgusted’ teenage KFC worker in the drive thru.

A teacher left a teenage KFC worker feeling disgusted and violated after he exposed himself to her in the drive thru.

Former The Heights school teacher Marcus Paul Bird, 36, who no longer works in the profession, was intoxicated when he made the “stupidest decision of his life” by committing the vile act.

The Adelaide Magistrates Court on Wednesday heard Bird went through a southern suburbs KFC drive thru on June 11, 2021, and was served by a 17-year-old worker.

Former The Heights school teacher Marcus Bird leaves the Adelaide Magistrates Court after being sentenced. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Brenton Edwards

“He made suggestive comments and then wound down his window, exposing his penis,” a police prosecutor said.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, the victim said she felt disgusted and violated by Bird’s offending.

“I was just trying to mind my own business and do my job, why did this guy have to do this?” she said.

“I was too scared to go back to the serving area in case it happened again.”

Bird, of Plympton, pleaded guilty to indecent behaviour.

The court heard Bird only entered his guilty plea on the day of his trial, initially denying he was behind the exposure – despite CCTV footage and car registration plates connecting him to the act.

James Marcus, for Bird, told the court his client lost his career as a teacher because of the offending.

“When this offence came to light Mr Bird was suspended … and he hasn’t renewed his registration,” he said.

Bird taught English and LOTE and became the Year 10 co-ordinator, which saw him supervise 25 teachers.

In a letter to parents in July last year, The Heights principal Nigel Gill said Bird had been arrested.

“The teacher has been directed away from the workplace and instructed not to attend the school pending the outcome of the police investigation and prosecution,” he wrote.

Mr Marcus said Bird was competing in cycling at a national level but had a serious accident, breaking his neck and pelvis.

The court heard Bird, who suffered post traumatic stress disorder from the accident, began drinking heavily and his life spiralled.

Mr Marcus said Bird was deeply embarrassed and remorseful for the “stupidest decision of his life”.

The court heard Bird was participating in alcohol counselling and had abstained from drinking alcohol since the offence.

During sentencing, Magistrate Kym Millard said intoxication was no excuse for the “disturbing” incident.

However, he noted the offending was an aberration from Bird’s otherwise hardworking and responsible life and opted not to impose a suspended sentence, as pushed for by prosecution.

Mr Millard convicted Bird and sentenced him to a $1000, two year good behaviour bond.