A man who stripped naked to swim in the river in the centre of Norwich was arrested after inappropriate touching in view of families.
Gary Ashby, 41, was seen staring at a teenage girl while naked near Cow Tower, Norwich Magistrates’ Court was told.
The historic tower beside the River Wensum is a popular area to paddle and swim for families with children in the summer months.
Police were called on June 21 after people spotted him swimming without any clothes on.
Looking in the direction of a teenage girl he had then started pleasuring himself in full view of members of the public, the court was told.
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District Judge David Wilson said: “A number of people who were present became very concerned about your behaviour and your intentions.”
Ashby, of Rosary Road in Norwich, pleaded guilty to a single charge of outraging public decency.
The court heard the incident had happened while he was already subject to a seven year sexual harm prevention order imposed in 2017 for viewing indecent images of children.
On that occasion he had been jailed for six months at Maidstone Magistrates Court. In 2013 he had also received a 12 month suspended sentence for possessing over 1,100 indecent child images.
“This offence is a serious one and it continues a line of offending of a sexual nature on this occasion targeting a person aged under 18," said District Judge Wilson.
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He sentenced him to a three year community order with the requirement he complete 200 hours unpaid work, 20 rehabilitation days and wear an alcohol monitoring tag for six months.
A five year sexual harm protection order also bans him from contact with anyone aged under 18.
Lisa Robinson, mitigating, said: “It's fair to say he actually has no recollection of the incident due to his alcohol consumption.”
She added: “He does not present an unmanageable risk to the public.”
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