A 39-YEAR-OLD man has been jailed after admitting he showed notes to five women asking them to expose their breasts on a canal towpath.

Gloucester Crown Court heard yesterday, Wednesday, February 1 that Ashley Brown exposed himself to women on numerous occasions and silently showed them signs which said ‘Show me your breasts’ and other crude comments.

Brown, of no fixed address, also admitted a number of other charges, including indecently exposing himself to a woman at a beauty spot.

Brown had also been convicted of lighting a fire in the grounds of Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.

The court also heard that Brown, who has been remanded in custody since his arrest last October, has been on medication for mental issues which have now improved considerably. 

Brown admitted using threatening behaviour, causing a nuisance to NHS staff, four common assaults, five charges of showing offensive notes and two indecent exposures. 

The court heard about a sequence of events which began in March.

On March 29, Brown caused problems at GL1 leisure centre in Gloucester and was banned.

Two days later he returned and was arrested after, swearing and shouting with what appeared to be a screwdriver in his fist.

On July 12, he was arrested after causing problems at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital which included lighting a fire in the grounds.

On September 5, Brown approached a woman on a pathway in Stroud with a small can which the woman believed to be pepper spray.

His actions put the woman in fear of violence.

Later, he pointed a can of spray at a woman on the canal path at Ryeford Bridge.

The court heard how she was rescued by a dog walker and Brown was arrested.

The court was then told about incidents on Monday, October 17 on the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal when Brown displayed handwritten signs to five lone women asking them to show their breasts.

One was a mum with her 18-month old daughter.

The court also heard how he exposed himself to a woman and was naked from the waist down at a beauty spot at Edge near Stroud.

The judge, Recorder Jaron Crooknorth, told Brown: “You have regularly scared loan women who now have become wary when they go out.

"You may not have physically assaulted these women but you have scared them. 

“I have taken into consideration your guilty pleas and your mental health issues, which has obviously had an impact on your offending.”

The judge sentenced Brown to 34 weeks in prison and subjected him to seven year sex offender registration.