Dee Why Rock Pool: Man who allegedly twice exposed himself to children and families may have dementia, court told

Families with small kids were shocked to see a pensioner, 68, allegedly sitting naked — twice — at a popular Sydney swimming pool. See what happened in court

Butruk Butruk, 68, of Dee Why, enters Manly Local Court on a previous occasion. The pensioner is currently facing charges that he allegedly exposed himself to people at the Dee Why swimming pool at Dee Why Beach. Picture: Manly Daily.

A pensioner charged with repeatedly stripping off and exposed himself in front of small children and families at a popular northern beaches pool, may have dementia, Manly Local Court has heard.

Butruk Butruk, 68, of Dee Why, was arrested twice within a month for allegedly being naked at the ocean baths at the southern end of Dee Why Beach.

Police will allege Mr Butruk, who fled his native Tibet as a political refugee decades ago, was nude as he sat near the edge of one of the two pools at the complex at lunchtime on February 11, and again on February 28.

He is facing two counts of wilful and obscene exposure in a public place.

Mr Butruk also charged with assaulting a female police officer during his arrest on February 11. He is also charged with one count each of affray and common assault over an incident that allegedly occurred at Dee Why at 10.30am on March 7.

Butruk Butruk, 64, of Dee Why, is charged with twice allegedly exposing himself near families at the Dee Why swimming pool. File picture: (9News)

He is yet to enter a plea on any of the charges.

But he has pleaded not guilty to three separate common assault offences that date back to March and May, 2022.

Manly court has previously heard that Mr Butruk was a political refugee from Tibet and that he had been held by prison by Chinese officials where he was regularly beaten.

He is currently in the mental health facility at Northern Beaches Hospital, where has been for the past three weeks, the court heard on Wednesday.

The swimming pools at the southern end of Dee Why Beach. File picture: Manly Daily

On Wednesday Mr Butruk’s Legal Aid solicitor said she had spoken to his case worker at the hospital on Tuesday

The solicitor said her client as currently being assessed for having dementia and is having further cognitive assessment tests.

“They feel he’s not safe in the community,” the solicitor said.

On March 1, the court ordered that Mr Butruk be taken to the Northern Beaches Hospital mental health unit for a psychiatric assessment. He left the hospital the same day.

On Wednesday Magistrate Robert Williams adjourned the matter for mention to Manly court on April 19.