A jail sentence has been handed to a man who followed a woman on a train whilst masturbating and exposing his penis.

Fintan Burke was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on Tuesday (September 17) for one count of outraging public decency, exposure and two counts of assaulting an emergency worker.

The 35-year-old, of Abingdon Road, Oxford, was handed an 18-month prison sentence by Judge Ian Pringle, who described the incident as a ‘deliberate and targeted’ offence.

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During the sentencing, it was heard that on December 21 last year, the defendant had boarded a train in Reading travelling towards Newbury.

He had sat across the aisle from the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, when she noticed that Burke had begun to ‘masturbate himself’.

She felt distressed and decided to move carriages.

However, after a few minutes, the defendant followed the woman causing ‘her great distress’.

Describing the incident, Judge Pringle said: “On a number of occasions, you clearly looked at her and actually exposed your own penis and masturbated in front of her.

“Her distress was palpable.”

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After some assistance from other members of the public on the train, Burke stopped exposing himself and the police were called.

Upon arrest, Burke then proceeded to spit at two different officers which amounted in the assault of emergency worker charges.

The court heard that the defendant has 37 convictions for over 60 offences.

Defending Burke, his barrister Tabitha Everett explained that her client is a ‘very vulnerable person’.

“He’s been on medication for some time now,” she said. “He is struggling in prison physically and mentally and he recently came to some harm in there.

“He said he feels ridiculous and ashamed of himself. He said he is sorry to the police officers.”

Miss Everett explained that Burke was suffering from mental health issues at the time of the offence and he has been in remand for about nine months – which is the equivalent of an 18-month sentence.

“It’s absolutely appropriate [for him to be released] especially when taking into account time served,” she said.

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Burke was handed 16 months for outraging public decency and eight months concurrent for exposure.

He was handed two-month sentences to run concurrently to each other for assaulting the emergency workers but consecutive to the 16 months – making a total of 18 months imprisonment.

Due to his time spent in custody, Burke is due for release.

He will also be placed on the sex offenders register for seven years.