A "disgusted" Isabella Plains woman was reduced to tears by the repulsive antics of a former public servant, who masturbated outside her house under the glow of street lights.
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The ACT Magistrates Court heard on Tuesday that the woman ended up moving because she was so disturbed by the interactions she had with Peter John Dixon, who lived nearby.
Dixon, 60, was convicted of indecent exposure and placed on a 12-month good behaviour order when he fronted court to be sentenced via audio-visual link.
Agreed facts reveal the woman saw Dixon, who was wearing nothing but a shirt, performing a lewd act opposite her driveway one evening in April.
"[She] was about 10 metres away from the defendant and he was illuminated by the street lights," the document says.
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The woman made a call for help, prompting a male neighbour to scare Dixon off.
"[The woman] was repulsed, disgusted and felt threatened as a result of the defendant's behaviour," the facts say.
Prosecutor Lauren Knobel read a statement from the victim to the court on Tuesday.
In it, the woman described feeling trapped and isolated at home because she did not feel safe going out on foot when she might see Dixon.
She had already had some bad experiences with the offender, and ultimately decided to sell her home and go elsewhere rather than continue to put up with living near him.
Ms Knobel told the court the offending involved "clearly concerning behaviour".
Dixon's lawyer, Andrew Fraser, said the 60-year-old had written a "heartfelt" letter of apology to the court, expressing "real remorse and shame".
Mr Fraser indicated Dixon now recalled "the horror" of what had happened, having initially suffered "a memory blackout".
He added that his client had quit binge drinking, which Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker said seemed to be a factor in the offending because of the disinhibiting effects of alcohol.
In sentencing Dixon, Ms Walker said the victim had been "terribly impacted" by the 60-year-old's "very disconcerting" behaviour.
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