Man performing obscene act in Barnsley library gets community order

MAN PERFORMING OBSCENE ACT IN BARNSLEY LIBRARY GETS COMMUNITY ORDER

A disgusted South Yorkshire librarian found a man performing an obscene act as he viewed pornography on a public computer.

A judge was told a woman who witnessed Michael Barrett’s behaviour “spoke of obvious disgust at matters like that taking place in a public place open to adults and children.” She had been on duty at Barnsley’s Central Library - then in Wellington Street - when the incident happened.

District Judge Naomi Redhouse was told she had been stood behind a reception desk when she saw Barrett.

Prosecutor Justin Bullas said Barrett, who pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to outraging public decency, was seen by the woman who saw “his head jerking in an eccentric manner”.

He told the hearing: “She saw him before concluding he was masturbating.

Clearly disgusted by what was taking place she went to see what he was looking at on the screen.

She could see something she described as pornographic.” Barrett, 40, who lives at Whyborne Grove, Rotherham, and is formerly of Cope Street, Barnsley, had his coat over his lap.

When challenged he left but had to hold up his trousers with one hand.

Mr Bullas said: “A deposit was left on the seat.

That was forensically examined.

The result was a link to Mr Barrett.” When interviewed later Barrett had said he was “scratching his nuts” and had denied the charge until the day a trial was due to take place.

In mitigation, solicitor Eric Bray told the hearing: “I don’t want to say anything about the facts of the issue” and told the Judge: “You have seen both sides of the situation as set out in the pre-sentence report.” She told Barrett that even his version of events “was not good”.

“Even on what you said, nothing of this should have been happening.” Barrett was sentenced to a community order for nine months and ordered to pay £150 costs and an £85 court fee.