Disgraced ex-Premier League footballer Neil Shipperley was today branded a 'predator' but spared jail after performing a sex act in front of a teenager and her mother.
Shipperley, who played as a striker for Chelsea, Southampton, Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest and Sheffield United in the top flight, admitted staring at the two women from his white van while performing a sex act on himself.
The former footballer had stopped the vehicle next to the woman and her daughter in Hayes, west London on Tuesday, September 17.
The mother thought he was letting them cross but when she turned around to thank him, saw he was holding his genitals.
Shipperley then followed the women and was seen by them two more times, staring and exposing himself.
The 45-year-old handed himself in at his local police station as his 'shocked and violated' victims were reporting him.
His crime was a 'cry for help' as a list of personal and financial problems, plus coping with the end of his football career, came to a 'crescendo', Uxbridge Magistrates' Court heard today.
Shipperley, who also played at League level for Watford, Barnsley, Wimbledon and Brentford and received seven England Under 21 caps was handed a community order.
Shaan Sethi, prosecuting, told the court Shipperley was performing a solo sex act.
While the mother was on the phone to police they noticed Shipperley had parked between two buses further up the street, still performing a sex act.
He told them if anyone did the same to his son he 'would want to kill them.'
In a victim impact statement read to the court, the mother said: 'Some people say they may see flashers as pests or nuisances, but my idea of Neil Shipperley is a predator.
'His aim was to intimidate us isolate us and shock us he succeeded were were shaken disgusted and appalled by his actions. I felt anger towards him and his filthy thrill.'
Her teenage daughter said: 'After the incident I felt as though I was a victim. I was scared, anxious and felt vulnerable. I worry now what would have happened if my mum wasn't there.'
Sarah O'Kane, in mitigation, said Shipperley had been dealing with personal and financial problems.
She added: 'He has and was experiencing a number of difficulties; the death of his father, he had to adapt to a very different way of life due to the end of a previous career.
'He has also had issues with gambling. He also has a number of debts he has accumulated; not from frivolous spending, but from investments which effectively went wrong.
'Everything came to a crescendo on the day in question and he thinks on reflection this was a cry for help.
'As for the offence itself he has expressed anguish, embarrassment, shame, but above all remorse and that was evident you heard as soon as he went to that police station and said 'I am sorry.''
Chairman of the bench Sheila Evans told Shipperely: ' I think it's worth saying that any punishment we impose on you today I'm sure is something which pales into insignificance to having to deal with your immediate family and friends.
'We recognised you have taken positive in seeking therapy.
'What you did was a serous offence and you have heard the impact statement with respect to the effect it has had on the victims in this particular case and how they feel appalled by the action you took. So that's something you will have to reflect on in due course.'
Shipperley, from West Drayton, north west London, was handed a 12 month community order, requiring him to complete 20 days of rehabilitation.
He must also pay £200 compensation and complete 120 hours of unpaid work.
Shipperely was also ordered to attend Hayes Police Station where he must hand in details as part of being subject to a 'sexual offences notification order' for five years.