SHOPPER Patrick Bennett traumatised female checkout operators by committing indecent acts at Swindon supermarkets, a court heard.

The 61-year-old, of Kent Road, Old Town, exposed himself at a checkout at Sainsbury's in Bridge-mead on Christmas Eve, as well as at Tesco in Ocotal Way on January 11.

Appearing at Swindon Crown Court, he admitted outraging public decency and asked for two similar acts to be taken into consideration.

Sentencing him to a three-year community rehabilitation order, Judge Mark Dyer told him that what he had done was "absolutely disgusting".

Prosecutor Nick Hawkins said Bennett was waiting to be served by a teenage checkout operator on Christmas Eve when he committed the first act.

"She looked to see him hand over his money and her eyes were drawn to his waist area," Mr Hawkins explained, adding that Bennett was exposing himself. "She was distressed and had to leave her duties and get a drink to calm down."

Mr Hawkins said that, following a similar act at Tesco on January 11, the police put out an appeal in the media and two other complainants came forward.

Bennett was finally identified on a shop's closed circuit television system recording and the police were alerted, the prosecutor said.

Mr Hawkins added that said though Bennett had never been to prison before, he had been convicted of gross indecency in 1977, indecent exposure in 1979 and outraging public decency in 1999.

Bennett's counsel, David Swinstead said his client had avoided such offending for 20 years.

He added: "He told police he gets a spasm and regrets it afterwards.

"Afterwards he wishes the ground would swallow him up. He's clearly a man who finds some difficulty in resisting these urges when they come upon him."

Judge Dyer told Bennett: "It is absolutely disgusting and intolerable that young girls should be subjected to the experience you subjected them to. Ordinarily I would be tempted to send you to prison. This is a very, very nasty type of offence which seems to be getting more common."

The judge added that he was just persuaded to spare Bennett from prison, as custody would have proved a very unhappy time for him and mean the loss of his accommodation.

Outside court Bennett said: "Of course I'm sorry."