Shocking act on busy road
Man fined for lewd display outside car
A woman was sitting in her car with her two younger sisters when a man approached them, pulled out his penis and began masturbating in front of them, a court was told.
Former support worker Edrick Yalankunze pleaded guilty at Southport Magistrates Courthouse to one count each of wilful exposure and driving under the influence of liquor.
Police prosecutor Glenn Whitall said on September 29, 2023 at 10.30pm, the woman had just parked her car on Surfers Paradise Boulevard when she saw the 24-year-old Waterford man “inappropriately approaching females and grabbing hold of them as they walked past him”.
Prosecutor Whitall said the woman and her sisters remained inside their car when Yalankunze made a beeline to their vehicle.
“Yalankunze approached the victim and her sisters (and) removed his penis and waived it about,” Prosecutor Whitall told the court.
“The victim and her sisters and other members of the public had clear view of Yalankunze’s genitalia.”
Prosecutor Whitall said the woman was unable to drive away because another vehicle was parked behind her and Yalankunze had positioned himself in front of the car.
“Yalankunze then put his hands down the front of his trousers in the groin area, appearing to be masturbating at that point,” he said.
After calling police the woman began filming Yalankunze’s actions, Prosecutor Whitall said. Meanwhile, Gold Coast City Council CCTV cameras also monitored and recorded Yalankunze’s actions, however neither videos were played in court.
Upon arrival, police officers witnessed Yalankunze get into his own car and attempt to leave before he reversed into a nearby parked Toyota Land Cruiser causing “considerable damage” to both vehicles, Prosecutor Whitall added.
Testing showed Yalankunze recorded a BAC of 0.198.
Yalankunze’s solicitor Yasmeen Al Kashat of Ryan Murdoch O’Regan (RMO) Lawyers told the court he had “very little recollection” of the incident but that he is “very remorseful for his actions and acknowledged it was a stupid mistake”.
Ms Al Kashat said since the incident, Yalankunze had lost his job as a support worker, which he had worked for about four years, had his blue card terminated and his license suspended for the past six months.
Magistrate Dzenita Balic ordered Yalankunze pay $1500 for both offences referred to SPER and his license suspended for seven months.
No conviction was recorded.