A SOLDIER who exposed himself to two women in Dorchester has been fined in what a judge said was a merciful sentence to let him continue his military career.

Paul McLeish, 27, was a corporal at Bovington at the time of the offences on June 25 last year.

He was convicted after a trial at Dorchester Crown Court in which he denied the offences.

Jurors heard how a woman was in Rothesay Road when she was approached by a man in a car who asked for directions. She said her eyes were ‘drawn into his lap’ and she saw him exposing himself.

The second woman walked past a car in Icen Way and then saw the car come towards her. She said when she looked in the car she saw a man exposing himself.

McLeish, of Lawrence Close, Bovington, claimed that he was at home. The court was told a community penalty would mean a chance that McLeish could save his military career while a custodial sentence would mean the end of his time in the Army.

Frank Abbott, representing McLeish, said that although McLeish still denied the offences, he had found the experience ‘chastening’.

Judge Douglas Field told him: “The jury convicted you on compelling evidence. You were in denial then and you are in denial again today. You motored into Dorchester from Bovington Camp, changed the number plates on your car to the number plates when you were stationed in Germany and you cruised round Dorchester and exposed yourself.”

McLeish was fined £1,000 for each of the two offences with a £200 surcharge.

Judge Field said: “I have been merciful in order for you to maintain your career.”