A 30-year-old man who exposed himself to teenage girls and sexually touched a 14-year-old, believed his behaviour was addictive, magistrates in Bingley have been told.

On one occasion Gary Mawson of Woolcomb Court, Heaton, Bradford, was wearing a mask when he emerged from a bush in Burley-in-Wharfedale to expose himself to two teenage girls.

He was making his second appearance before magistrates yesterday after he was remanded in custody by a bench sitting in Bradford on Saturday. Mawson was arrested on Friday after being recognised on CCTV.

He pleaded guilty to exposing his genitals on four occasions in Burley-in-Wharfedale – last year on November 7, December 23 and December 28 and on January 26 this year.

He also admitted intentionally touching a 14-year-old girl and assaulting a girl by beating in Burley on January 9.

Marina Hunter-Gray, prosecuting, said an offence had taken place at Burley-in-Wharfedale train station and the young girl ran home.

He was also seen exposing himself in a communal garden and again to two girls aged 14 and 15 at Burley-in-Wharfedale station. On that occasion he pushed one of the girls away and grabbed the 14 year-old causing her to scream.

He also exposed himself to a 13-year-old girl, while using the Wharfedale railway, to whom he had spoken on a previous occasion, and she reported the incident. He was later identified on CCTV “He told the police he found his behaviour to be addictive,” said Mrs Hunter Gray. She told the bench some offences went back to 2002.

Nigel Jamieson, for Mawson, said he had not been instructed to seek bail.

He said: “He will be given a great deal of credit for pleading guilty at this stage and preventing the victims the need to go through identity proceedings.

“This is a pattern of addictive behaviour which he has struggled to deal with.

Magistrates sent Mawson for sentence to Bradford Crown Court on March 22 and remanded him in custody for pre-sentence reports to be compiled.