Magistrates today warned a Bradford teenager who admitted performing a sex act on himself on a bus that he faces jail.

Mohammed Khan, 19, of Kensington Street, Girlington, Bradford, pleaded guilty to outraging public decency when he appeared in court in the city.

Khan was seen carrying out the act while on the number 697 bus from Keighley to Bradford Interchange in October, magistrates were told.

The chairman of the Bench warned Khan the offence was so serious there was a possibility he could be sent to prison.

Prosecutor James Weekes said Khan was sitting next to a woman who was reading her book in a window seat when he began to mutter to himself.

He said: “The woman looked up and saw him touching himself inside his trousers. The man continued to do it and to mutter incoherently.

“She felt sick to her stomach and after a few minutes asked if she could move out of her seat and further down the aisle.”

As the woman walked down the bus she told other passengers he was a pervert, Mr Weekes said.

Khan got off the bus near Girlington Retail Park and was later identified from CCTV images by police, who knew him from previous offences, the court was told.

In a police interview Khan told officers he thought everybody touched themselves in this way, Mr Weekes said.

Representing Khan, solicitor Alan Petherbridge told the court his client spent time in a psychiatric unit last year and had a social worker.

A report into his circumstances would be needed before sentencing, he said.

Chairman of the Bench Margaret Carton, who adjourned the case until March 3, said: “We consider that the offence is too serious and therefore we are requesting a full pre-sentence report by the probation service.

She told Khan: “You must understand that the sentencing court will not be restricted to solely a community penalty. There is a possibility that you might go to prison for this offence.”

Khan was released on bail until his next court appearance.