A KINGTON man exposed himself to a shop assistant after a morning binge drinking, a court heard.

Michael Huckstep, aged 26, of Wall Hills Close, drunk several litres of cider prior to entering a shop in the town on October 10.

“The shop assistant knew him and could see that he was drunk and smelt of alcohol,”

prosecutor Abigail Hall told Hereford Magistrates Court last Thursday.

“He pulled down his trousers just behind his thighs and exposed himself.”

Ms Hall added that Huckstep then kissed the assistant on the right cheek and twice on the head before he left the shop with two coffee jars.

The court heard that police officers later found Huckstep heavily intoxicated after drinking cider during the morning.

“He drank so much on the day that he couldn’t remember his actions or remember going into the store,” Ms Hall said.

“But he said that he was sorry and ashamed of his actions.”

Chris Morgan, defending, said that his client is not a sexual deviant, but when he gets “blind drunk” he acts inappropriately.

Huckstep pleaded guilty to sexual assault on a female, stealing two jars of coffee from a shop, valued at £11.74 and exposure.

He was made the subject of a 24-month community order and placed on a sex offence community programme for a year.

Huckstep was also ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £60 victim surcharge.

He was also told not to enter the shop in question or contact the assistant.