A WOMAN was left terrified after a ‘drunken’ gang member exposed himself, threatened to burn down her house and subjected her to a sustained assault at her home, a court heard.

Aaron Heywood, 28, struck after he walked past the retired victim’s Burnley home, where she was sitting outside, having a cup of tea.

He stood in the middle of the street, showed his backside, walked away then turned round, untied his jacket and exposed himself. He then pulled up his pants, approached the woman, threatened to kill her son, stepped into her home, spat in her face and pushed her in the stomach with both fists clenched, causing her to fall backwards. He then walked off.

The defendant was said to have bragged about the attack afterwards, Burnley magistrates were told.

Heywood, of Harrison Street, Barnoldswick, had earlier been convicted in his absence of assault by beating and exposure, on June 17. He had denied the allegations. The defendant was jailed for 12 weeks by magistrates, who said the victim was vulnerable and had been caused great distress. He was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders' Register for seven years.

Alex Mann, prosecuting, said the 56-year-old woman was left scared and felt uncomfortable and unsafe in her own home, as well as feeling vulnerable and intimidated as her attacker had been with others.

The prosecutor added: “She says she was distressed for days and thinking about it still makes her upset.”

Daniel Frazer, for Heywood, said: “He is diagnosed with several mental health issues.

“He says he has been diagnosed with depression and paranoid schizophrenia.”

Mr Frazer added the exposure was impulsive.

He told the court: “Maybe at the time he thought it was funny. On reflection, it clearly isn’t funny.”