A PERVERT committed a sex act in front of a teenager on a bus as he made his way home from a court appearance.

Gary John Norman left Durham Crown Court subject of a three-year community supervision order to include sex offender treatment, on May 10.

It followed admissions for exposure to two girls at Gateshead Bus Interchange, failing to notify where he was living as a registered sex offender and theft of cans of lager from a food store.

He was back in court today (Monday June 3) following his arrest for his actions travelling home after that hearing.

Graeme Gaston, prosecuting, said Norman followed a 15-year-old girl upstairs on a double-deck vehicle at Durham Bus Station.

He sat in front of her, constantly turning to look at her, with his hand placed beneath his trousers.

Mr Gaston said as the “frightened and disgusted” girl got up to move she saw his exposed penis.

She told her parents on her return home and police were informed.

Norman was recognised when the bus’s on-board cctv was examined and he was arrested on May 16.

Forty-year-old Norman, formerly of St Peter’s Court, Sacriston, now of Warwick Court, Gateshead, admitted engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

Stephen Constantine, mitigating, said leaving court on his release after a long period in custody, following the previous appearance, Norman “celebrated his freedom” by buying and drinking cans of lager before catching the bus home.

“Unfortunately, history repeated itself and he went a stage further with his behaviour than he has done previously.”

Jailing him for 18 months, Recorder Peter Makepeace told Norman: “You drink alcohol and your inhibitions go out of the window.

“It seems your behaviour comes about as close to the worst example possible for this kind of behaviour.”

Norman must sign as a registered sex offender for the next ten years.