A man “mooned” at a police officer and stripped naked in the grounds of Selby Abbey in a cry for help, York Crown Court heard.

The officer was responding to a report that a man was "acting strangely", said Michael Bosomworth, prosecuting.

Ricky Lee Twardowski told police: “I am on the Lord’s ground. Have respect, get out of the Lord’s ground."

He turned his back on the officer and pulled his underwear down exposing himself to the officer on July 28.

He dressed himself again, then stripped completely naked and sat down in front of the Abbey in view of members of the public.

After he was arrested and taken to Fulford Road Police Station, he spat at two police officers.

He was remanded in custody and served the equivalent of a 17-month prison sentence before being sentenced because of delays caused by psychiatric reports and his psychiatric condition.

The homeless 36-year-old pleaded guilty to being a public nuisance and assaulting two police officers by spitting at them following his arrest.

He has convictions from three decades including one for indecent exposure in 2018.

His solicitor advocate Graham Parkin said of the incident at Selby Abbey on July 28: “This is a plea for help.”

The criteria for admitting people to psychiatric units had been raised in recent years, he said.

“Five or ten years ago, this would have been a clear case for intervention.

"Before coming to court, he would have been diverted out of custody and only (sent) to court if the treatment didn’t work.

“Now the bar is so high even someone with his health problems doesn’t qualify,” he said.

The Recorder of York, Judge Sean Morris, passed a 12-month prison sentence.

Because of the time he had spent on remand, Twardowski was immediately released.

The judge had postponed sentence for three days to give probation and defence solicitors time to find somewhere where he could live.

“I don’t want him walking into the streets tonight into sub-zero temperatures,” he said.

But when the case returned to court, he heard there was no suitable accommodation available for Twardowski.

Mr Parkin said Twardowski would be given a travel warrant to Doncaster, where he has a probation officer.

Doncaster Council had said it would try to find a hostel place for him and the town’s citizen advice bureau had said it was prepared to work with Twardowski, said the solicitor.

The judge told Twardowski to go straight to a probation officer on arrival at Doncaster.