Edinburgh crime: Pensioner Robert Cockburn who exposed himself to two boys breaches bail conditions

He was due to appear back in the dock on Wednesday but failed to show up

A pensioner who pleaded guilty to exposing himself to two schoolboys and asking them to perform sex acts has carried on offending while awaiting sentencing.

Robert Cockburn had his trousers around his knees when the two lads entered a public toilet in Musselburgh, East Lothian, earlier this year. He then asked the shocked youngsters - aged just 12 and 14 - to perform oral sex on him before they managed to flee the public convenience.

Cockburn also targeted two adult men by staring at them while they urinated within the same public toilet at the town’s Shorthope Street. The 75-year-old appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on October 12 where he admitted four offences including breaching bail conditions banning him from the public toilet and sentence was deferred for reports.

Robert Cockburn has carried on offending while awaiting sentence, a court has heard

But just one week later the pensioner was said to have exposed himself and openly masturbated in front of a 74-year-old man who was using a public toilet in Haddington, East Lothian. Cockburn also made sexually explicit remarks to a 67-year-old man at the same location later the same day.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told Cockburn then committed an act of indecency by lowering his clothing, exposing his buttocks and placing his hands near his genitals two days later near his home in Port Seton, East Lothian.

The OAP was due to appear back in the dock for sentencing at the capital court on Wednesday but failed to show up and a warrant was issued for his arrest. His name had previously been added to the Sex Offenders Register.

Last month the court was told police received several calls from members of the public reporting Cockburn was watching men urinate within the public toilet at around midday on August 12 and 21 this year. Fiscal depute India McLean said Cockburn asked one man to perform oral sex on him and after he was arrested the pensioner was bailed with the condition to keep away from the public toilets.

But over the course of the next week Cockburn repeatedly flouted the bail order by turning up at the toilets and staring at adult men while they urinated.

Ms McLean said the two schoolboys then “attended at the public toilets” and found Cockburn inside at around 5pm on August 27 this year.

The fiscal depute said: “Mr Cockburn was within and had his trousers at his knees and his penis was exposed and he asked the boys for oral sex.” Police were called and when Cockburn was arrested and charged the court was told he denied any wrongdoing.

On Wednesday, Sheriff Roderick Flinn was told Cockburn was admitting three new charges of exposing himself, making sexual comments to adult men and breaching bail conditions between October 19 and 21. Solicitor Hannah Ridgway told the court she had no explanation for her client’s absence and the sheriff ordered a non-appearance warrant to be granted.