‘Prolific drunk and disorderly offender’ jailed for indecent exposure

A man with more than 300 offences to his name has been jailed for indecent exposure.

Keith Bidwell, 56, of Sir Lewis Street in North Lynn, was given 18 weeks’ imprisonment at Norwich Crown Court for indecent exposure on Thursday.

Afterwards, Bidwell appeared at Lynn’s Magistrates’ Court where he pleaded guilty to stealing a bottle of wine from Lidl and being drunk and disorderly outside of a church.

Prosecutor Emma Pocknell said that on June 29, Bidwell had entered Lynn’s Lidl supermarket and was already drunk.

While released on unconditional bail for the indecent exposure offence which occurred last year, he picked up a bottle of red wine and tried to leave without paying.

The court was told he was stopped in the doorway and the wine was recovered, but Bidwell proceeded to walk away and “refused to come back”.

On Wednesday this week, police were called by church-goers after Bidwell was seen shouting and swearing outside of Lynn’s St Margaret’s Church.

“It was 10.30am and he was shouting and swearing outside a place of worship,” said Ms Pocknell.

Officers reported that Bidwell was drunk and was fiddling with his sleeve.

Police pinned Bidwell down due to suspicions that he had a weapon up his sleeve.

Bidwell has a total of 208 convictions for 308 offences and has previously been described as a “prolific drunk and disorderly offender”.

In mitigation, Charlotte Winchester said: “It wasn’t a sophisticated theft, he thought he could just go.

“In relation to the drunk and disorderly, he couldn’t recall much and has little memory of the event.

“He has a long-standing alcohol addiction.”

Magistrates gave Bidwell 12 weeks in custody which will run concurrently with his existing sentence.

He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £114.