AN alcoholic who had a sex act performed on him by a woman in full view of shoppers and children in a shopping centre has been jailed for 23 weeks.

Jack John Reginald Keane of no fixed abode pleaded guilty to outraging public decency when he appeared via videolink from Exeter Prison before Truro magistrates today (Tuesday).

He'd originally pleaded not guilty to the offence but changed his plea to guilty on the day of his trial at Truro Crown Court.

Alison May for the prosecution told Truro Magistrates' Court that on September 17 last year in the afternoon, police were called to the Wharfside Shopping Centre in Penzance after reports that a man and a woman were performing sex acts in a shop doorway.

It was reported he was "exposed" and was receiving a sex act from a woman in the shop doorway opposite the lifts.

"She was crouched down performing ]a sex act on] him," said Ms May. "She was holding a wine bottle and he was holding a can of beer."

She added: "CCTV in the shopping centre showed children and females walking past at school finishing time."

The pair were found in Albert Street drinking alcohol when it was prohibited which Keane refused to give up to police when requested and carried on drinking.

Keane also pleaded guilty to use threatening, abusive, insulting words, behaviour to cause harassment, alarm, distress against Penzance's anti-social behaviour officer Dorian Thomas on October 16 last year.

Keane and a woman were in a shop doorway at around 1.30pm drinking cans of beer from a box of beer. When Mr Thomas tried to confiscate it the woman picked the pack up and walked away.

Keane tried to follow but could hardly stand. Mr Thomas followed them and Keane became abusive shouting and swearing at Mr Thomas, said Ms May. At one point he threatened to "kick the c**t in". He was found by the police and arrested.

Keane also pleaded guilty to two charges of drinking alcohol in area where it was banned in Penzance, one on October 16 last year and another on September 17 last year, and failing to comply with the prohibition order. Breaching a criminal behaviour order on August 4 this year in Penzance made against him by Truro Magistrates Court just five days earlier on July 29 forbidding him from drinking alcohol in a public place.

Defending Keane, Robin Smith said his client suffered from Tourettes and other mental health problems and was an alcoholic. He had had a difficult childhood and lived on the streets. Steps were being taken to find him accommodation which could start to address his problems but this was proving very difficult in the current climate.

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For outraging public decency Keane was sentenced to 26 weeks in custody, reduced to 23 weeks for his guilty plea, albeit on the day of his trial.

For the breach of the section 4 order for being abusive and offensive to Mr Thomas when everybody could hear, he was given eight weeks imprisonment to run concurrent with the earlier sentence.

For the breach of the criminal behaviour order he was given eight weeks in custody to run concurrently.

For the two breaches of the alcohol prohibition order there was no separate penalty.

They also made a complete criminal behaviour order not to enter Causewayhead, Penzance or Market Jew Street, Penzance "at all, ever" and not to be in Penzance drunk. The order is to last three years.

He was also ordered to pay £250 towards the £750 and £85 costs asked for by the CPS.

He was also ordered to pay a surcharge of £154.