Flasher touched himself in Palmerston Park, Southampton

Patryk Michalek was first spotted with his trousers around his ankles near the Firehouse pub, a court heard.

After seeing police, the 26-year-old "quickly" pulled his trousers up and walked off but was stopped in Palmerston Park by a policewoman. 

As she confronted him, the officer felt he was "deliberately looking at her and trying to touch himself". 

READ MORE: Man who pleasured himself on Shirley Road walks free

When interviewed, Michalek said he had taken his trousers down "only for a second" to see if anyone would call the police. 

He also claimed he may have been urinating having consumed two or three beers. 

The incident on March 26 came just two days after he was spotted "in drink" exposing himself to a woman showing clients around a business premises. 

The woman said she felt "uncomfortable" and that other members of the public were concerned. 

One filmed the ordeal to obtain evidence for the police. 

Michalek chased the man but was arrested and released on bail. 

Southampton Crown Court

On July 22, he was arrested again after he attempted to steal some bolognese from Lidl on High Street, Southampton. 

He was challenged by staff and gave the item back but returned shortly afterwards with a hammer which he held up to show the shop workers.

After being arrested and bailed again, he was then spotted in the street on October 1 with a knife which he had been storing in a book. 

Prosecutor, Keeley Harvey said Michalek claimed he was using the knife to sharpen sticks which he would then use to get moss off walls. 

But members of the public claimed he had been seen looking through the windows of houses and cars. 

He later pleaded guilty to charges of outraging public decency, exposure, a public order offence and possessing a bladed article in public. 

Mitigating, Berenice Mulvanny said her client had been remanded in custody for 10 weeks but the probation service say they "can manage his risk in the community". 

She added: "There had been a decline in this defendant's behaviour. One of the triggers for that is alcohol." 

Judge Nicholas Roland said the defendant is "somebody with no previous convictions but there are troubling features to this series of offending".

Michalek, of no fixed abode, was given an 18-month community order with 60 hours unpaid work and 35 rehabilitation days. 

He is subject to a 90-day alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement and must register as a sex offender. 

A deprivation order was made for the knife.