A teenage woman filmed pleasuring herself on a bench in Truro in broad daylight has been handed a rehabilitation order by magistrates in Truro, including three months residential rehabilitation.

The 19 year-old, of no fixed abode, was sentenced on Wednesday afternoon after pleading guilty to intentionally exposing her genitals intending that someone would see them and be caused alarm or distress.

She was ordered to complete a 12 month community order with alcohol treatment for nine months, including three months residential and six months in the community and a rehabilitation activity requirement for 30 days, and to register under the sexual offenders notification system for five years.

A video of the woman pleasuring herself in broad daylight on a bench on Lemon Quay was posted to Facebook last month, but she told officers after her arrest that she did not remember anything about it.

Her solicitor Martin Pearce told magistrates on Wednesday that whoever took the footage had been taking advantage of a very vulnerable person.

He said she had been heavily under the influence of drink and drugs at the time.

Since being in custody for four weeks, after magistrates had remanded her to prison for her own safety because she had nowhere to live, she was a very different person. She had spent the time drying out, was deeply remorseful for her actions and ready for rehabilitation.

“She was a vulnerable lady at that time and someone took advantage of her,” he said.

The woman was also ordered to pay compensation of £100 for breaking a window at her family's home, and pay in instalments £720 she owes in previous court penalties.

She had previous convictions for theft, criminal damage and drink-related offences, for some of which she had previously spent time in prison.

Mr Pearce said at the previous hearing that the defendant had serious problems with drink and drugs. She had broken a window at the family home, at which she was not welcome, because she believed her dog was inside, and not being cared for, and wanted to retrieve it.

As far as exposing herself in public was concerned, she had absolutely no recollection of what she had done.

“Her actions brought huge public interest”, he went on, “and it is a massive source of embarrassment to her, and for which she has shown a great deal of remorse.”