A Kendal hotel guest who committed a sex act while naked in his room doorway in front of a receptionist has narrowly avoided being sent to prison.
Carlisle Crown Court heard how the staff member was asked by a third party to attend Alexander Nix’s room just before midnight on October 2 last year to sort payment for car parking.
Due to unease, the woman texted a colleague and asked him to meet her at the room — and her concern grew when Nix, 29, did not answer the door and she was told he was in the shower.
After she stepped back across the corridor, Alexander opened the door while completely naked with a hand over his genitals. “She froze in shock as Mr Alexander continued to try to persuade her to come in,” said prosecutor Andrew Evans. She realised he was carrying out a sex act.
Nix was said to have stated: “Come in, I will give you the night of your life”, and “You don’t know what you’re missing”. He had also gestured with his head for her to enter the room.
The woman’s male colleague arrived and was utterly shocked to see Nix naked. The two employees went to meet with a third, and returned to the room to eject Nix. “They didn’t get far as Mr Nix was in the corridor, dripping wet and with what appeared to be a rug wrapped around his midriff,” said Mr Evans.
According to one male worker, Nix was “boisterous and cocky”, his demeanour changing to apologetic when he was told to leave the hotel.
Nix denied a charge of exposure but on the day of his court trial admitted an alternative count of outraging public decency, on the full prosecution facts.
In a statement, the receptionist detailed the detrimental effect of the incident on her ability to work, and the development of anxiety symptoms which had impacted on her wider life and that of her family’s. “She has moved to a different career within the hospitality sector,” said the prosecutor.
Nicoleta Alistari, mitigating, told the court self-employed Nix, who lives with his parents, was expecting a child with his partner early next year.
“Through me, the defendant wishes to apologise to her (the receptionist) for the anxiety his behaviour caused her on that day. He is deeply embarrassed and feels ashamed,” said Ms Alistari.
Recorder Peter Horgan concluded he would step back, “just”, from a prison sentence when imposing punishment which would best benefit Nix and the public.
“It was disgraceful behaviour on your part,” said the judge. “It impacted so many areas of her life, just because of your selfish and boorish actions.”
He instead imposed an 18-month community order. Nix, of Alton Road, Belper, Derbyshire, must complete rehabilitation, 150 hours’ unpaid work, a three-month night time curfew and a sex offender treatment programme. “I hope you recognise how close you are to going to prison this morning,” the judge told Nix.
