Jacob Arthur Amos sentenced over public masturbation

A 43-year-old man told police he was “having a moment” when moviegoers caught him pleasuring himself in a Sunshine Plaza cinema, a court has heard.

Sunshine Plaza. Picture: Patrick Woods.

A Sunshine Coast man told police officers he was “having a moment” after he was caught by moviegoers masturbating during a screening of Guardians of the Galaxy.

Jacob Arthur Amos, 43, appeared on video link in the Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Tuesday, October 10.

The 43-year-old pleaded guilty to four offences including improper use of emergency call service, indecent act in a place the public access, stealing and trespass.

The court was told the most concerning charge related to Amos masturbating in a cinema at Sunshine Plaza in May, 2023.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Mark Burrell told the court a 22-year-old woman and her mother had been among about 20 other people watching the Guardians of the Galaxy movie when they noticed Amos “jerking off”.

“She glanced over and made eye contact with the male laying down on his own with his jacket over his lap making movements consistent with jerking off,” Constable Burrell said.

“She immediately realised what he was doing and felt sick to the stomach, she starting panicking.”

Constable Burrell told the court Amos later told police he was “having a moment” and he believed the other people in the cinema were far away.

The court was told the masturbation offence and the improper use of an emergency service call occurred shortly after Amos was released on parole for unrelated offences.

Constable Burrell said during the triple-0 call to the ambulance, Amos provided a false name and the call responder believed him to be masturbating on the phone at the time.

Solicitor Katie Paterson told the court Amos suffered from number of mental health conditions including schizophrenia and was hearing women’s voices at the time of the cinema incident.

“He was aware it was an offence to masturbate in a public place and he instructs he had taken amphetamines that day and as he walked through the Plaza was aroused as he could hear the voices of women in his head,” Ms Paterson said.

“It does not appear it was a particularly busy viewing session for the cinema and it seems only the witness and her mother noticed the defendant’s actions.”

Maroochydore magistrate Haydn Stjernqvist sentenced Amos to six months’ imprisonment, eligible for parole immediately, and fined him $900.