Marsden Library: Gerald Fleming guilty of public masturbation
A 55-year-old man has fronted court after he was caught at a Logan library performing a disgusting act while a three-year-old was just metres away.
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An unemployed Logan man has pleaded guilty to public indecency after he was caught masturbating to ejaculation while watching two young girls, one aged three, in a public library.
Marsden man Gerald Rudolf Fleming, 55, faced Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Thursday to answer for his perverted actions, which also saw him masturbate to a seven-year-old girl.
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The court heard the disgusting incident occurred about 11.55am at the Marsden Library on December 28 last year.
Fleming made his way to an aisle behind a three-year-old girl, who was using a computer, and leaned his head around to watch the girl.
A witness who walked past witnessed Fleming with his “right hand in his shorts” making a “masturbation motion”.
She also witnessed a “bulge” in his shorts consistent with an erection.
This witness alerted a second witness, a security guard at the library, who saw Fleming had moved to a different part of the library where he was “staring at a different young female”, aged approximately seven.
The security guard witnessed a “wet patch” on Fleming’s shorts, the court heard.
When the guard questioned Fleming, he simply said, “I’m sorry”, as he was escorted outside, where he entered a car, the registration of which was noted.
When interviewed later by police, Fleming denied he was looking at the young girls and said he had an “itchy penis”, although he couldn’t explain the wet patch on his shorts, which was also seen on CCTV footage.
While the court accepted he was masturbating to the young girls, as they were not aware of the activity, the lesser charge of public indecency was preferred.
Fleming was ordered to perform 12 months of probation.
No conviction was recorded.