A MAN exposed his bottom and slapped his buttocks in front of a dad and his 11-year-old daughter, a court heard.

Kieron Dowell, 36, pleaded guilty at Weymouth Magistrates Court on Friday, April 26 to an act outraging public decency.

It happened at around 5.30pm on February 28 this year in Weymouth and the court heard a man and his and 11-year-old daughter were about to get into a vehicle when Dowell approached them.

Nicola Reece, prosecuting, said: "They were walking towards their van when (the man) heard his daughter making a noise. He looked over and saw that Dowell had pulled his trousers and underwear down and made a two-handed slapping movement on his bottom.

"The victim confronted Dowell, saying he was disgusted that he would do that in front of an 11-year-old."

Ms Reece said that in a police interview, Dowell had said his actions were sparked by the victim being homophobic to him in the past. He said he wanted to provoke the victim verbally or physically so he could inform the police.

Dowell told police he didn't see a child and denied slapping his bottom.

Kenny Sharpe, mitigating, said: "This is not just something he decided to do. There are, and have been, issues between the parties where he has been the victim of what he would call homophobic abuse."

Mr Sharpe added that Dowell, of Liverpool Road, Lanehouse, Weymouth, has been 'vehement' that he would not have exposed himself if he had been aware of the child.

"This was a response to the abuse he had received - it was a derogatory response, not a sexual act," said Mr Sharpe.

"He is a vulnerable adult with Asperger's, ADHD, an unstable personality disorder and PTSD. It makes him a target for abuse.

"He didn't know he was going to run into anybody, it was an absolutely impulsive act."

The court heard that Dowell, who volunteers in a charity shop, has no similar previous convictions and pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.

The chair of the magistrates' bench, Sara Saunders, adjourned the case until June 20 at Weymouth Magistrates Court so that a pre-sentence report can be prepared before sentencing.