Laois man admits masturbating in car on Main Street 

A man from Laois admitted exposing his genitals in a car while he “attempted to engage” with a passing female pedestrian.

The man (46), who has a Laois address and cannot be named for legal reasons, was accused exposing his genitals and masturbating intending to cause fear or alarm contrary to Section 45 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 at Main Street, Monasterevin on April 9, 2024. 

Solicitor Barry Fitzgerald said his client was pleading guilty to the offence. 

“The facts are sensitive, Judge, and the defendant is completely ashamed,” said Mr Fitzgerald. 

He said the man, who has a number of children, has been in gainful employment with the same employer for 27 years and has no previous convictions. 

Mr Fitzgerald said on the date in question his client was “waiting to get into an early house” in Monasterevin and had been looking at a video on his phone. “Very shamefully, he was masturbating in his car and this lady was walking by,” said Mr Fitzgerald. 

He told the sitting of Portlaoise District Court that the incident was aggravated because the defendant made “two or three attempts to engage with this lady” and he said his client is “beset with embarrassment” over the incident. 

Mr Fitzgerald said his client had brought €500 to court “as a start” for compensation and would be willing to pay more. 

Judge Andrew Cody asked how much more the man was prepared to pay. 

Mr Fitzgerald said the man could gather between €4,000 and €5,000. 

Judge Cody ordered that the €500 be paid over and a total of €5,000 in compensation be paid within one year. He adjourned the matter to March 23, 2026 for an updated probation and welfare report and said that a further €2,000 should be in court on that date.