A man allegedly caught pleasuring himself in a Wollongong McDonald's in full view of workers - and the restaurant's high definition CCTV cameras - has been released on conditional bail.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Shannon Yates and his partner, Maree Reading, spent eight hours sitting in the dining area of the Burelli Street outlet on the afternoon July 13, however it wasn't until well into their stay that the duo attracted attention for all the wrong reasons.
In a series of actions that would likely make Ronald McDonald himself blush, Yates is accused of putting his right hand inside his trousers and vigorously "jerking his hand back and forth" as Ms Reading watched on from the other side of the table.
Police who viewed CCTV footage of the incident noted Yates was sitting with his back to the wall and claim his movements demonstrated "a clear act of masturbation".
Several diners eating in the restaurant at the time witnessed the incident, as did a 14-year-old McDonald's employee, who has since undergone counselling and refuses to return to work.
"The accused was also seated directly in view of a high definition, coloured CCTV camera which clearly captures the incident," police documents tendered to Wollongong court on Friday said.
"The CCTV also shows the reactions of other patrons as they observe the accused in the act."
Officers tracked Yates down to a local motel and arrested him on Friday morning, charging him with a single count of behaving in an offensive manner in a public place. It was also discovered he was on bail for shoplifting.
When questioned, Yates allegedly told police they had it "all wrong".
"I wasn't in my right frame of mind, I was on drugs, I had taken ecstasy all night, I had been up for days beforehand," he said.
Magistrate Roger Clisdell remained poker-faced as he read the police allegations against Yates in court.
Then, looking up at Yates on the video link screen, he professed: "there's a lot of things I don't like about McDonald's - and now I can add another one to the list".
He noted police opposed Yates' release, but said he didn't see how he could keep him behind bars.
"There's no suggestion he had any part of his anatomy on show, he was just vigorously rubbing his nether regions," Magistrate Clisdell said.
"He's clearly got a drug problem and needs help."
He granted Yates conditional bail including daily reporting, a nighttime curfew, abstinence from drugs and alcohol and banned him from attending the scene of the crime.
He also ordered Yates be assessed for a court-ordered drug treatment program before the matter returns to court in August.
