Distasteful. Atrocious. Disgusting.
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That’s just some of the words used in Wollongong court on Tuesday to describe the lewd behaviour of Jai Verma on the night of March 16.
Inebriated on a bottle of wine and numerous beers, Verma whipped out his penis and twirled it around (in a move colloquially known as the ‘helicopter’) in the middle of the Crown Street Mall in front of onlookers during late-night shopping.
He later confessed to remembering little of the incident for which he was ultimately charged because of his drunken stupor.
He has, however, been forced to re-live the embarrassing moments from that night during multiple subsequent court appearances, the latest of which came to a sticky end on Tuesday.
Appalled by the facts that lay before him, Magistrate Michael Stoddart convicted Verma and sentenced him to two months jail.
“Nobody should have to put up with what you did,” Magistrate Stoddart said.
“It’s hard to think those people who saw you will forget it in a hurry.”
Court documents said Verma was on his way to buy cigarettes in the mall after drinking at Dicey Rileys when he first exposed himself to three teenage girls on Crown Street.
A mother and son, who did not see the incident but were advised of what had happened by the girls, began to follow Verma towards the shopping centre.
The man saw Verma pull out his penis near the 7/11 in the mall and began “twirling it like a helicopter” in full view of shoppers.
He appeared to be urinating as he was thrusting and flinging his genitals around, which lasted for about two minutes, the man later told police.
He yelled out to Verma “put it away”, however Verma refused, and even asked them “do you wanna touch it” and “can you touch it” repeatedly.
Mall security staff arrived a short time later, followed by police. Verma began arguing with the officers but eventually gave up, placing his arms behind his back and declaring “take me away”.
He promptly fell asleep inside the police station charge room, with officers noting he began “snoring loudly”.
Verma’s lawyer, Tim McKenzie, said his client lived in Blacktown but operated a car wash in Wollongong and had been travelling three hours on public transport each way after losing his licence for drink driving last year.
“He admits he has a problem with alcohol,” Mr McKenzie said.
Verma will be released on parole in July.