Robert Ross, 48: Allambie Heights man naked from waist down at Manly Sunday church kids’ playgroup

A drunken financial planner had to be ushered away from children at a Sydney church’s Sunday playgroup after he took off his soiled shorts and undies in front of them.

Robert Ross, a senior financial planner on the northern beaches, outside Manly Local Court on Thursday. Picture: Manly Daily

A drunk corporate worker who pulled down his shorts and underwear in front of children at a northern beaches church Sunday playgroup has been sentenced at Manly Local Court.

The highly intoxicated Robert Ross, 48, of Allambie Heights, was naked from the waist down in the grounds of a Manly church for one and a half minutes.

Then when Ross, a senior financial planner with a well known independent financial advisory group, was being ushered away from the children, he assaulted one of the church’s senior ministers, the court heard on Thursday.

He dropped his shorts and undies in the church courtyard just before 6pm on September 29, after seeing they were smeared with faeces, the court was told.

Ross, who the court was told had an alcohol misuse disorder linked to other mental health issues, was already facing a separate charge of violent disorder after being involved in a fight on Anzac Day at the Brookvale Hotel.

He was also on a series of conditional release orders – good behaviour bonds – for assaulting a NSW Ambulance paramedic and failing to leave pubs when ordered to, when he wandered into the churchyard.

Robert Ross was convicted of a string of alcohol-related charges. Picture: Manly Daily

One of the conditions of the CROs was not to be intoxicated in public places.

Magistrate Lisa Stapleton heard the current and past offending was linked to excessive alcohol use.

Ross pleaded guilty to one count each of wilful and obscene exposure and common assault for the incidents.

He also pleaded guilty to one count of violent disorder for being involved in the physical altercation while playing the pokies at the Brookvale Hotel on April 25.

Before being convicted, Ross, who was supported in court by his wife, had earlier made an application to the magistrate to have all the charges dismissed on mental health grounds.

His solicitor Josh McKenzie submitted that as well as issues with alcohol use, Ross had a “mix of significant mental health issues” including anxiety and depression.

Mr McKenzie said his client had been treated in recent years at mental health hospitals and was now waiting for a vacancy at a rehabilitation clinic.

The solicitor pointed out that Ross did not start the fight at the pub, but had been pushed, slapped and punched by another patron and then set upon by a group of young men, when he retaliated by pushing the other man.

Robert Ross.

Ross was left on the floor, with a bloodied face.

Mr McKenzie said a psychiatrist found Ross used alcohol to “self-medicate” after a traumatic upbringing “littered” with issues”.

Ms Stapleton dismissed the application to have the charges dropped even though she said she was satisfied that Ross “suffers from a mental health impairment” and that his alcoholism was a symptom.

When convicting Ross, she told him that he had not previously been “held accountable” for offending because he had just been given warnings and bonds.

She also said he had been seeking treatment and rehabilitation in the past, yet was still committing alcohol-linked offences.

“He must be held accountable,” she said.

For the wilful and obscene exposure, Ross was convicted, but no penalty imposed.

He was convicted on the violent disorder and common assault charges and given two 12-month community correction orders.

Ms Stapleton also revoked the CRO for assaulting the ambulance officers and placed him on another 12-month community correction order.