Mick Hartley

Another of these postmodern headlines – Scot flashed her penis and used sex toy in public leaving onlookers shocked:

A Glasgow-born sex offender has admitted exposing her penis, using a sex toy and masturbating in public.

Chloe Thompson committed the "grossly offensive" acts in daylight and in front of shocked members of the public, a court was told.

At one point, three children saw the former soldier exposing herself and thrusting her hips in the window of her home, TeesideLive reports.

Thompson had been due to stand trial at Teesside Magistrates' Court on Tuesday morning but changed her plea to guilty shortly before.

Her latest offences were committed on August 13 last year in Cromer Street and Wellesley Road, Middlesbrough.

A couple saw her performing a sex act on herself in a back alleyway of Wellesley Road at about 3.45pm that day.

Liz McGowan, prosecuting, said "the defendant was moving forwards and backwards against a wheelie bin" before being seen using a sex toy on herself.

At the time she was wearing "an ill-fitting black wig, a ra-ra skirt and a midriff-length top", the court heard.

Clearly a woman, then. 

The court heard 42-year-old Thompson has 17 convictions for 22 offences and was still under a suspended sentence order at the time of the latest crimes.

Previously convicted as Andrew McNab, the defendant had been put on the sex offenders' register and made subject to notification requirements in 2011 for sexually assaulting an underage girl.

But she was hauled back before courts in May last year for breaching her notification requirements for the 11th time.

Andrew McGloin, defending, said Ms Thompson is "an individual who feels, at this point in her life, very optimistic and hopeful for the future".

He told the court she is originally from Glasgow and came to the Teesside area in 2011 to find work.

She worked in asbestos removal for a time.

Mr McGloin said Thompson plans to attend a gender clinic which may lead to her undergoing gender reassignment surgery.

Something to do with the asbestos, perhaps?

The court heard she has recently undertaken courses for working in the wind turbine industry.

"She's very optimistic she will be able to gain employment in an industry she is very interested in," said Mr McGloin.