A 52-year-old Christchurch labourer with a long history of indecencies has admitted masturbating in front of a woman tourist in the Botanic Gardens.

Defence counsel Tony Garrett said it was “ingrained behaviour” for Edward James Momo who pleaded guilty to a charge of behaving in an offensive manner.

Mr Garrett told Christchurch District Court Judge Jane Farish: “I’m afraid to say that while he is resistant to treatment, it is likely we will see him again.”

Judge Farish said Momo’s list of previous convictions showed numerous jail terms for similar types of offending. He was imprisoned for 15 months in March last year for doing an indecent act.

His offending was strongly related to intoxication.

“You need to be under no illusion,” she told him. “Unless you do something about your drinking, it is likely you will be back before the court on serious charges, and the court will be looking at a long sentence of imprisonment.”

For this charge, she fined Momo $500.