A FORMER South Australian man who masturbated while a young woman was sunbathing just a short distance away at Albury’s Noreuil Park last year faces sentence in March on two charges.
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Allen Brian Edwards appeared in Albury Local Court yesterday and pleaded guilty to disqualified driving and committing an act of indecency with a person over 16 years.
Magistrate Gordon Lerve said Edwards, 40, of Prune Street, Lavington, had been jailed previously for disqualified driving and a bond would possibly be imposed for the other matter.
But Mr Lerve said it was appropriate to get a pre-sentence report and adjourned sentencing until March 8.
The court was told the victim drove to Noreuil Park about 4.10pm on October 27 to picnic with friends and went to the south-western corner.
She set up a rug, had bathers under her clothing and took her T-shirt off.
Edwards arrived in a Ford sedan about 10 minutes later, got a cushion and rug from his back seat and went to the edge of the river about 15 metres from the woman.
He set up under a tree, next to shrubs and laid on his side facing the woman.
He put his hands down his pants and began masturbating while staring at her.
She contacted friends with a text message, did not say what was happening, but asked how long it would be before they arrived.
When she looked back, Edwards was on his back masturbating with his shorts around his knees.
He pulled his shorts up, but was still watching her and she felt uncomfortable so texted a male friend, who said he would be there in 10 minutes.
When he arrived, he parked next to Edwards’ vehicle and got the registration number on a piece of paper which he gave to the woman.
The woman looked back, Edwards had his penis out the top of his pants and she said: “Get your hands out of your pants. It is disgusting and dirty”.
Edwards stopped, the woman put her T-shirt back on and another male friend arrived.
The registration of his vehicle was checked again when he drove off about 5.20pm.
The woman attended the police station the following day and made a statement.
Police went to his residence on October 29 and he denied masturbating, but an orange pillow and blanket described by the woman were found in his car and Edwards declined to take part in an identification parade.