A MAN who performed a sex act outside an Oxford girls’ school has been given a community order.

Geoffrey Burden, 53, was spotted by pupils as young as 10 from Headington Girls’ School at a bus stop, in London Road.

Burden, who has learning difficulties and lives with his mother in Stockleys Road, Northway, Oxford, was sitting on the pavement with a hand down his trousers at about 4pm on December 10, 2008.

At Oxford Crown Court today, Jennifer Edwards, prosecuting, said two young women saw Mr Burden sitting on the ground close to the children. She said: “They couldn’t fail to notice one of his hands appeared to be inside his trousers making movements.”

Stephen Bailey, defending, said his client had never been in trouble before and his behaviour was triggered by the fact his mother had gone on holiday.

Burden, who Judge Mary Jane Mowat said exhibited signs of autistic spectrum disorder, earlier admitted outraging public decency and was given a community order with a 12-month supervision requirement.

He was also told to pay £100 costs and complete a sexual offender programme for people with learning difficulties.