A perverted west Cumbrian pensioner has been sentenced after he was caught performing a sex act in his van just yards away from an outdoor children’s birthday party.

Garry Davies, 65, was discovered by the shocked mother of the seven-year-old as her mother left the party to share birthday cake with neighbours, Carlisle Crown Court heard.

The defendant pleaded guilty to a single charge of outraging public decency.

It happened in a community near to Maryport.

The court heard that the defendant committed the offence on Friday, July 30, having parked his Mercedes van on a road adjacent to the garden where the birthday party was in full swing.

The youngsters were enjoying games and a bouncy castle and a trampoline which were hired by the birthday girl’s parents.

After the birthday cake had been enjoyed by the girl and her friends, the child’s mother decided to take the remainder of the cake to neighbours, so they too could enjoy a slice, the court heard.

But as she left her house with the cake, she noticed the defendant, sitting in the passenger seat of his van, with his trousers down. He was performing a sex act.

His vehicle was parked near to a small fence beside the garden where the children were playing.

Realising that he had been seen, Davies quickly pulled up his trousers and drove away.

The woman and her husband alerted the police, aware that the defendant was a sex offender.

But the police were not able to respond immediately.

Incredibly, within 30 minutes of being spotted, Davies drove back to the area and parked his van in exactly the same place.

Later that day, a neighbour confronted the defendant, asking him: "What have you been doing in your van with your pants down?"

Davies grabbed the man but he was able to extricate himself.

The court heard that Davies has 42 previous convictions on his criminal record.

Those offences include a charge of downloading child abuse images and two counts of flouting a sexual harm prevention order.

Kim Whittlestone, for Davies, of Firth View Walk, Workington, said the defendant had not intended any of the children at the party to see him.

"But I accept that the defendant does have a troubling previous record," she added.

Recorder Peter Atherton imposed a two-year community order with 15 rehabilitation activity days.

The judge noted that the defendant had served the equivalent of an eight-month sentence while held in jail on remand.

Davies must also complete a sex offender treatment programme.

The defendant is on the Sex Offender Register and was given an indefinite restraining order banning any contact with the family whose child's birthday he parked next to.