A 34-YEAR-OLD Hawick man has admitted a charge of public indecency. 

Jamie Beattie exposed himself and carried out a sex act on himself in the town’s High Street on August 11. 

Jedburgh Sheriff Court was told the incident happened at 5.25pm when Beattie was sitting in a car and was on a smartphone at the time when a member of the public witnessed the offence and took some photographs before contacting the police. 

Defence lawyer Liam Alexander said there “had been a build-up” to the incident regarding his client and that the court would benefit from a background report. 

Sentence was deferred until May 28 on Beattie, of Gladstone Street, Hawick, who was granted bail.