A drunk flasher who drove up to a young girl and performed a sex act in front of her revealed he had previously committed similar offences, a court heard.

One of Jordan Sharp’s victims remembered a story on KentOnline about a man exposing himself near a Medway school.

Maidstone Crown Court heard the 21-year-old had always been “a decent member of society despite his challenges”, but he started offending after using cannabis and drinking.

A girl, aged 12, wearing her school uniform, was standing on a removal van in September last year in Chatham, when Sharp drove up and said: “Excuse me, do you like ----?”

Prosecutor Siobhan Molloy said the girl could clearly see into the car that the driver had his shorts down and was performing a sex act.

“The defendant wound down his window and was looking up to where she was standing,” she said.

Sharp, of Chapel Close, Ryarsh, kept driving around the block. The girl told her parents and her father managed to take down part of the car’s registration number.

He was still exposing himself when police searched the area and found him sitting in his car near Gorse Avenue. He claimed he had just been for a “wee”.

Miss Molloy said when arrested Sharp admitted behaving indecently and exposure.

One involved an 18-year-old schoolgirl who was standing at a bus stop in Walderslade Road, Chatham, in December 2014.

“An article was published on the KentOnline website as it created concern for the safety of pupils at the school she attended,” said Miss Molloy.

“There was another incident the same day, also published on KentOnline. He remembered committing those offences.”

A 13-year-old girl had been standing on her own when Sharp drew up in his car and exposed himself.

Miss Molloy said there was a third incident in July last year when Sharp flashed at a woman outside the Pippin pub in London Road, Maidstone.

John Fitzgerald, defending, submitted Sharp, who suffers from ADHD, could be given a suspended sentence.

But jailing him for 10 months, Judge Charles Macdonald QC said: “My duty is to punish you to deter others and protect the public.”

Mr Fitzgerald said Sharp, who had been an apprentice at Charlton FC and was employed by the Royal British Legion, made remarkably frank admissions to police.

He had a history of behavioural problems which were linked to the offences.

“We have a kind, decent, polite young man but with genuine mental health problems,” said Mr Fitzgerald. “It is a hereditary problem within the family.

“He decided cannabis was the answer to his problems. Just before the commission of these offences he stopped smoking cannabis.”

Mr Fitzgerald said Sharp was drinking the day he committed the offence in September last year and behaved impulsively.

“He has highs and lows, and this was a low,” he said. “He was charged with offences covering a nine-month period. He volunteered he behaved in this way before.

“It hasn’t happened since. The alcohol and cannabis are gone. He is taking his medication. He has taken steps to address his offending behaviour.”

Judge Macdonald told Sharp, who admitted one offence of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child and three of exposure, there was a lot of mitigation in the form of remorse, early admissions and previous good character.

“On the other hand, you were drunk, which is an aggravating factor and there was a disparity in age.”

Sharp’s name will appear on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.