A MAN was found guilty of exposing himself while at a gym in Poole.

Khaled Abdul denied a single charge of exposure but was convicted by a jury following a trial at Bournemouth Crown Court last month.

The 49-year-old defendant, who was back in the dock for sentencing on February 9, committed the offence at The Junction Sport and Leisure Centre in Station Approach, Broadstone, last year.

The court heard while he was sitting on a piece of gym equipment he was using, facing a young woman who was nearby, he intentionally exposed his genitals.

Judge Jonathan Fuller KC told Abdul he concluded the defendant “quite deliberately exposed yourself to her” for a period of three minutes.

The incident was caught on a CCTV camera at the leisure centre.

“The young lady in question was obviously distressed and disturbed and made a complaint about it,” Judge Fuller KC said.

Bournemouth Echo:

The judge said he accepted it was an “isolated incident”, with Abdul being a man of otherwise good character.

He said the offending involved a “disturbed thinking process”.

“It was very much out of character,” Judge Fuller KC said. “I also accept that you have learned a lesson from the court process but you brought that upon yourself.”

The court heard that while Abdul accepted the jury’s verdict, he was still denying wrongdoing when interviewed by a probation officer.

Richard Martin, representing the defendant, said his client had been dealt a “shock treatment” from the court proceedings which would ensure the incident would not be repeated.

Mr Martin said Abdul had shown a degree of remorse and understanding about what had taken place.

Judge Fuller issued the defendant with a two-year community order, with a requirement to complete the Horizon programme to help the offender understand what was behind his behaviour.

Abdul, of Candy's Close, Corfe Mullen, was also placed on the sex offenders register for five years.

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