A MAN performed sex acts on himself while parked in his car as families walked by.

Karl Henry has been handed a community order and will be tracked by GPS for three years following his exposure in Pitsea.

The 32-year-old had parked his car in Edinburgh Way on December 4 last year and proceeded to expose his genitals and perform sexual acts.

Basildon Crown Court heard on Friday how a woman living on the road, a mother of three, had spotted Henry doing the act.

When people walked by the car, he would stop, but then carry on once they had passed.

The mother managed to film Henry committing the exposure and took down his car’s registration, passing the details to the police.

The road Henry committed the offence on is just around the corner from the Upper Basildon Academy.

Carolyn Gardiner, prosecuting, told the court that the woman now feels anxious to go out with her children after seeing Henry’s exposure right outside her home.

Mitigating for Henry, Ian Cliff said he would perform the acts to relieve stress as he suffers from anxiety, and that he was in a cycle of being prosecuted and receiving no intervention.

It was revealed that this was Henry’s fifth court appearance for similar offences.

Judge Samantha Cohen told Henry: “There were people taking their children to school. It is a repellent thing to do.

“It generates fear and anxiety in people when they see it.

“Can you imagine how much stress you are subjecting them to who are going about their business and seeing someone they don’t know with their penis out.”

Henry, of Great Ranton, Basildon, was given 200 hours of unpaid work and 60 days of rehabilitation and will be monitored by GPS for three years.