A councillor showed his private parts to five schoolgirls in the middle of Chesterfield while out on a stag night. Paul Shelton, 54, of Ilkeston, serves as an independent member of Erewash Borough Council and has now been fined in court over his "boorish behaviour."
Derby Crown Court has heard that Shelton drank so much alcohol on July 23 last year that he could not remember what he had done until being shown CCTV by Derbyshire Police. Shelton was dressed in drag and at around 7pm, his victims began applauding his attire, believing that it was done as part of the ongoing Pride Week at that time to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community.
But as his victims began applauding, Shelton pulled his trousers down and flashed his private parts, Derbyshire Live reports. Derbyshire Live has left voice mail messages and sent emails to Shelton, a former Conservative councillor, but he has not returned requests for a comment.
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Fining the 54-year-old defendant £500, Judge Shaun Smith KC said: "Stand up please. I don't even think in your wildest dreams you thought you would end up in crown court.
"I am sure you are a thoroughly decent, hard-working man and there you are being ridiculously stupid in drink. It has lost you your reputation, your good character and I cannot imagine the shame you must feel about it. I am sure you are completely shameful about what you have done."
Gurdial Singh, prosecuting, said: "Five school friends were out sat on some steps by the Town Hall and spotted this defendant dressed in a sparkly dress and a blonde wig. He was with some friends and this was during Pride Week and they thought he was dressed the way he was because of that, as opposed to a stag do.
"He was laughing and pulled his shirt up and he showed his chest and then pulled his trousers down exposing his (private parts). He could not even remember it.
"He was arrested and interviewed and there is CCTV of him. It is boorish behaviour and not sexual behaviour. He said he was very drunk and when it was put to him he said he did not remember it."
Shelton, of West End Drive, initially pleaded not guilty to a more serious charge of indecent exposure when he first appeared at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court and elected to have his case sent to the higher court. There, he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of committing an act outraging public decency.
He has no previous convictions and was supported in court by a woman who sobbed outside court following the hearing. Lucy Jones, his barrister, said she had little to say in mitigation after Judge Smith indicated he would only be imposing a financial penalty on her client.
Asked by Judge Smith how much he earned she replied "£50,000 to £60,000" to which he replied "it's going to be an expensive night out (for him)."
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