'Ossie', 63, jailed for repeated exposure and 'brazen' sex act

A MAN has been jailed for repeatedly exposing himself.

Colin John Osborne, known as "Ossie", exposed himself to two women on separate occasions in Hull city centre.

The 63-year-old, who was given an Asbo in 2011, was also spotted committing a sex act behind a bush in Coltman Street, west Hull.

Prosecutor Jharna Jobes told Hull Crown Court: "There was a lady walking past. He was in a bush and he shouted toward her 'hey beautiful, come here'.

"He was arrested. He said he was sleeping rough, he was an alcoholic and that he was urinating and he did not particularly care about this lady."

The court heard Osborne exposed himself in Clive Sullivan Way in Hull to motorists entering the city.

Mrs Jobes said: "He was on the verge. A lady was driving past and noticed this and reported it to the police."

Osborne pleaded guilty to breaching his Asbo on February 10, April 20, and April 21, and failing to surrender to the police on March 21.

He was convicted of two counts of exposure on April 13 and May 17 at Hull Magistrates' Court following a short trial.

Osborne is banned indefinitely from Grimsby town centre after causing years of harassment to members of the public.

In February, he jumped in front of a car and the terrified pass- engers believed he was waving a knife. It later turned out to be the top of a golf club.

In April, he breached his Asbo twice in Grimsby by entering the town's shopping centre.

Security guards saw him in the centre on CCTV and alerted the police, who arrested him.

Osborne, of Dock House, Hull city centre, has 41 convictions for 69 offences dating back to 1969.

His barrister Tom Ledden said: "He is eccentric and suffers from dementia. He is realistic about his position. He has been in custody and knows he is going to remain there for some time.

"He was using the golf club for protection because he had been assaulted and robbed on a number of occasions previously. This was not something he was carrying because he has a pre-disposition to violence. He never had any intention of using it to cause harm. Had he wanted to use this weapon he had the opportunity to do so but he chose not to.

"He is not a man who is likely to trouble the court again in relation to sexual offending. There was some effect on the complainant but it was limited to alarm and bemusement at his behaviour.

"You can conclude that this is a man who is effectively an irritant and a nuisance due to his alcohol problems. He is not a danger to those around him."

Osborne was jailed for 18 months. Judge Mark Bury told him: "You have total disregard for the Asbo imposed upon you and you seem to have no regard to standards of decency in public. It gives me no pleasure to say to you that this has to be a custodial sentence. There is no other way of dealing with you that is appropriate or justified.

"You committed a brazen offence of a sex act on the verge of a busy road into the city."

Osborne has been ordered to sign the Sex Offenders' Register for ten years.