Man soiled himself outside Sunderland school, then tried to wash with San Miguel

A man caught short displayed barefaced cheek after he soiled himself outside a primary school during morning lessons, then tried to clean up with beer.

Michael Gage, 38, squatted behind a tree with his pants around his ankles as he set about cleaning himself up outside the gates of Broadway Junior School, Springwell.

But Gage, of Premier Road, Plains Farm, was seen by shocked staff as he faced away from the building in an adjoining car park., magistrates in South Tyneside heard.

One female teacher watched incredulously as Gage emptied the contents of a beer bottle over his rear to wash away the mess – then pull another lager from a box and walk away.

Police found him at a nearby garage on Wednesday, June 14, and he admitted a longstanding tummy complaint made him susceptible to sudden toiletry accidents.

The incident happened at 9am just after children had entered for lessons, but Gage did not intend to be seen nor realise where he was.

Prosecutor Glenda Beck said: “This takes place during school hours. A staff member states she was at work in the main office which looks on to the car park.

“She received a call from a teacher who had got into her car and saw a male acting strangely behind a tree near the car park gate.

“She went to the car park and stood about 30m away and saw a male squatting behind the tree, with his shorts and underwear down around his ankles.

“She states, ‘I was shocked by what I could see. He looked intoxicated. He was facing away, meaning I was facing his bare behind.’ She called the police.

“He stood up with his shorts and underwear still around his ankles and poured the contents of a beer bottle around the crack of his bum.

“He took another San Miguel from a box and then picked up the box and left the school gates and walked towards a garage. The incident lasted about 10 minutes.”

Mrs Beck added: “In interview, Gage said he had a problem with his bowels and had drunk four bottles of San Miguel over half-an-hour.

“He said he had soiled himself and had tried to wash himself with lager but confirmed he wouldn’t have done it at the location he had.”

Gage pleaded guilty to charges of outraging public decency and failing to comply with a community protection notice.

Richard Copsey, defending, said there was no intention by Gage to be seen and his problems with alcohol stemmed from his mother’s death in 2018.

He added: “What happened is that he thought that because he was drinking, he was behind the tree. He soiled himself and pulled his trousers down.

“There’s no suggestion he went to the school to expose himself to children, that wasn’t his intention. Alcohol is his problem.”

Magistrates sentenced Gage to an 18-month community order, with 25 rehabilitation days and nine months of alcohol treatment. He must pay a £114 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.