Febuary 2011 Man’s lewd act in front of two girls A PATCHWAY man who performed a lewd act in front of two girls has been jailed for 14 months. Gill Fernandes was angry with the children and carried out the act when he saw them, Bristol Crown Court heard. Fernandes, 36, of Amberley Road, pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child in January. Judge David Ticehurst told him: “These were serious and very strange offences, given that you were apparently angry with the girls. Men who are angry with children don’t normally behave in the way that you did. “That’s why I’ve come to the conclusion, having regard to the report on you and everything that has been said, that the only way to deal with you is by way of an immediate custodial sentence.” The judge told Fernandes to register as a sex offender for ten years and handed him a five year sexual offences prevention order, banning him from unattended contact with girls aged under 18. Eric Waley, prosecuting, said the 12-year-old girls were in the street when Fernandes appeared and carried out the lewd act. He said: “One girl was very frightened and began crying. “The other girl confirmed her account. She could see Mr Fernandes through a gap in the hedge and she gave a similar account. They were very upset. They told their teacher and the following day police arrested Mr Fernandes.” The court heard that Fernandes told police he was annoyed by the behaviour of a girl and admitted saying “nasty things” to her. He told officers he made a lewd suggestion to the child, but thought no-one had heard. Mr Waley said Fernandes eventually accepted acting in the way alleged, and could offer no explanation other than to say he was upset and angry. He said his head was not working as it should and he had spoken to a doctor. Richard Nile, defending, said his client was highly remorseful and had lost his family and home as a result of what he had done. Mr Nile said his client carried out the act mainly because of anger with the girls, and secondly for sexual gratification. Mr Nile said: “He’s not someone in need of psychiatric assessment. In 2005 someone made an objectionable remark to his wife and he slapped the person in the face. “He seems to have a bizarre way of showing his anger.”