A self-obsessed 78-year-old has been jailed after flashing at strangers every month for 60 years.

Julien Duffy has exposed himself up to 700 times over six decades and considers his body a temple, a court heard.

On the last occasion he "accidently" let his towel slip from his waist in front of a neighbour in Brighton as he went to collect the post.

He refuses to take medication to tackle his problem because he believes his body should not be polluted by drugs.

At Lewes Crown Court the pensioner admitted indecent exposure and was sentenced to 26 weeks in jail.

The court heard because he has been held in custody since his arrest in October last year it is expected Duffy, who lives in a flat in Lewes Road, will be released in the next few weeks.

And a judged conceded: "You will be released shortly, no doubt to offend again."

Sarah Lise Howe, prosecuting, said his neighbour was left shocked and distressed when she saw Duffy naked from the waist down.

She said: "He did nothing to cover himself up."

The court heard he has more than 20 previous convictions, including indecently assaulting a boy, gross indecency with children when he exposed himself in front of youngsters on a bus, plus eight other offences of indecent exposure.

Andrew Stephens, defending, said about the latest offence: "It was just a flash. The incident was over quickly."

Mr Stephens said Duffy wanted help for his problems but he was not willing to take prescribed medication. He said: "His body he worships and does not want to put drugs in it. He wants to have therapy."

The court heard Duffy told probation officers he started exposing himself at the age of 18 and since then has committed the offence about once a month to men, women and children.

Judge Anthony Scott-Gall told him: "Again, sadly, you stand in the dock convicted of indecent exposure.

"You quite deliberately decided to go down clad in a towel which, as ever, happened to fall from around your midriff.

"You are somebody who is determined, whenever the urge takes you, to expose your genitalia to anyone in range. You have no shame and no desire to curb this rather unpleasant criminality. You have been sent to prison over the years and it has had no impact whatsoever.

"You will be released shortly, no doubt to offend again."