A PENSIONER was caught playing with himself on the back seat of his car in a rural village, a court heard.

A passing dog walker spotted a naked Peter Sidney Cove who had parked up in a layby in Sutton St Nicholas

The 70-year-old grandfather said he had "already been punished" by his wife for the offence when he admitted a charge of public indecency before Hereford Magistrates Court last Thursday.

Cove, of Newtown Road, Hereford, was in his Volkswagen Golf when the dog walker approached with her husband.

"She thought the car was a bit out of the ordinary to be there at that time," said Adrian Jones, prosecuting.

"As she approached she sees the defendant lying in the rear of the vehicle naked. She immediately said 'oh my god that's disgusting' and takes a picture of him in the car on her mobile phone.

"She told him that she was going to call police the and Cove immediately got dressed and asked her not to do so.

"Cove said 'it's not what you think."

Cove returned home at 4.10pm on December 16 when police on patrol saw the vehicle which had been described to them by the witness.

He was arrested and in response said 'she caught me getting undressed'.

Cove, the court was told, had previously come to the attention of police in 2015 for a similar incident.

Emma Prosser, mitigating, said Cove made a 'terrible mistake'.

"He has worked all his life as a mechanic and lives with his wife," said Ms Prosser.

"His wife is angry with him because of these proceedings. He is very embarrassed, completely ashamed and disgusted of what he did.

Ms Prosser said that Cove had been to visit his friend in Stoke Lacey on the day of the incident to help him with an old car which needed a repair.

"He spent most of the day there and he tires very quickly in his car," added Ms Prosser.

"He had to stop and fell asleep on the back seats. When he woke up he proceeded to masturbate.

"It was in a very quiet rural location and he thought nobody would come past him.

"He said he won't repeat this and has learned a very embarrassing lesson. He has been punished by his wife and is completely embarrassed."

Magistrates ordered Cove to pay a £80 fine, £135 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.