FAMILY and friends celebrating a christening were shocked to see a man pleasuring himself in the window of his home.

Repeat offender Michael Scott has been dealt with on several occasions in the past for exposure and outraging public decency.

He hadn’t been in trouble for such behaviour though since 2015 – when he was dealt with for performing a sex act in a pub's beer garden.

However last December, horrified members of a christening party were disgusted when they saw the 42-year-old forklift driver openly masturbating in the window of his home, in clear view of neighbours and everyone in the street.

Dealing with him, Recorder Michael Maher warned Scott that he was at risk of losing all the "good things" in his life as a result of his "disgusting behaviour".

Mr Maher added: “Close the curtains and indulge in that behaviour in the privacy of your own home.”

Preston Crown Court heard how Scott, of Mosley Street, Blackburn, had remained offence-free thanks largely to abstaining from alcohol for several years, but that on the day in question he had been "extremely intoxicated".

Prosecuting, Peter Barr said: “A woman had been having a party in her home as she was celebrating her daughter’s christening.

"At around 9pm the defendant, who lives over the street, was seen standing at his front window, looking out across the street.

“He had no pants on and was seen to be masturbating. Some people at the party crossed the street and knocked on the door, suggesting he should stop doing what he was doing.”

The last occasion Scott appeared in court was following an incident in the beer garden of Clitheroe Kate’s in Mincing Lane, where several people witnessed him masturbating.

The court heard how he had been drinking and had snorted five lines of cocaine before committing the offence.

Rachel Cooper, in mitigation, stressed the driving factor behind her client’s offending was alcohol, adding: “When he is sober, he can stay away from this kind of offending but clearly there is an issue when he drinks alcohol.

“He is very angry and frustrated with himself and that he has put his neighbours through this.”

Handing Scott a 12 months prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, Recorder Maher said: “Those who saw you were shocked and disgusted.

"I am required to look at the guidelines and as a standalone matter from a man of good character this would have been a high-level community order.

“The trouble with you is all of your antecedents revolve around you masturbating in public or committing acts that offend public decency.

“The curious thing about you is that you have a loyal partner and a good job – good things which you are in danger of throwing away because of this disgusting behaviour.”

He added: “People should be able to go about their business without seeing you masturbate.”

Scott has also been subjected to 60 days alcohol abstinence monitoring and 35 rehabilitation activity requirement days.