Serial public masturbator avoids jail

Richard Hona. Photo / supplied

A serial public masturbator undergoing treatment to suppress his libido has avoided jail time so he can continue the experimental treatment.

Richard Hona, 45, has a criminal history of exposing himself in public, particularly on buses, and masturbating in front of women that dates back to 1991.

He appeared for sentencing in the Auckland District Court today after boarding a bus, sitting near a woman and exposing his genitals and masturbating on two occasions in January.

The court heard today that Hona had been in and out of prison, often serving the maximum penalty for the crime of indecent exposure - two years in prison - before being released and re-offending.

His lawyer Brett Ravelich told Judge Roy Wade that it was clear prison sentences had not helped Hona.

Mr Ravelich said his client has received his first injection of the libido-suppressing drug zoladex in February and had noticed an effect.

"There's been considerable physical changes in him, and a reduction of the urges he has had to live with," he said in court.

"He no longer fantasises or visualises like he used to and he is no longer physically capable of being aroused."

Judge Wade said Hona was an "incorrigible flasher" and said a prison sentence would deny him access to the drug that could be effective in managing his sex drive.

Hona was sentenced to 18 months intensive supervision.

Outside court Mr Ravelich said he had represented Hona for many years and that he had "slipped through all the cracks".

He said while zoladex was not available through district health boards, the Department of Corrections made it available to some recidivist sex offenders.

"It has been proven in places like Canada to reduce the rate of re-offending... I just hope it works for him and there won't have to be any more victims," Mr Ravelich said.