Alleged public masturbator Bryson James Smith arrested at Toowoomba’s Laurel Bank Park
NAMED: A man caught with his pants down in a Toowoomba park with vaseline and tissues told police he suffered from a ‘condition’.
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When Toowoomba police caught an alleged public masturbator in the act, with a vaseline tub and tissue at hand, the man professed his innocence stating he had an “itchy penis”.
Bryson James Smith, was arrested at Laurel Bank Park at 8.30am on Thursday and appeared in Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Friday, October 20.
After spending a night in the watch-house, Mr Smith was granted bail on charges of indecent act in public, public nuisance, and breaching bail.
In opposing Mr Smith’s bail application, police prosecutor Jessica Lynch said the nature of the alleged crime was “concerning”, especially given he was on bail for 28 alleged crimes at the time.
Sergeant Lynch said police received a number of calls from concerned community members on Thursday morning, as a shirtless Mr Smith was following a number of women around the park while allegedly touching his genitalia.
The court was told the alleged offending occurred while a number of people were at the park, as it was just after school drop off, noting a number of women and preschool-aged children were there.
Sergeant Lynch said when police arrived at the park, they allegedly caught him red-handed.
“He was laying facing a garden hedge with his pants around mid-thigh with his penis exposed,” she said.
“He was using his right hand to stroke his exposed penis.
“When police have announced themselves he quickly pulled his tracksuit pants to cover himself (and) stated he was scratching himself as he suffers from an itchy penis.
“Subsequently he was placed under arrest and he stated to police it was not a crime to scratch his doodle.
“He was located with his damaged mobile phone, a jar of vaseline, and the facts note, a crusty tissue.”
She said just two days ago Mr Smith was granted bail on alleged Warwick crimes, and a week prior to that, he was granted bail on Stanthorpe charges.
The court was told the 21-year-old single man had schizophrenia and was recently released from the Toowoomba Hospital’s Acute Mental Health Unit where he was receiving depot injections.
Mr Smith told the court he spent two nights in the unit as part of his bail conditions, which included receiving the shot once a month.
The court was told Mr Smith had outstanding charges of assault occasioning bodily harm, which allegedly occurred against a Toowoomba Hospital security officer.
On another occasion, while at the Stanthorpe Hospital, he was alleged to have exposed his penis to a 70-year-old woman in a hospital room.
Smith told the court he planned to contest some charges and plead guilty to others.
Magistrate Kyna Morice granted bail which included conditions that Mr Smith complied with his mental health treatment plan, and lived with his aunty at Acacia Ridge.
The charges will next be mentioned on November 10.
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Originally published as Alleged public masturbator Bryson James Smith arrested at Toowoomba’s Laurel Bank Park
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