A FORMER Royal Navy weapons expert has been placed on the sex offenders register for repeatedly flashing his privates to schoolgirls.

Serial sex offender Stephen Kay, who worked as a Chief Electronic Engineer on Trident class submarines during a 23-year stint in the Navy, exposed himself to a total of five girls during two incidents earlier this year.

The first was when he exposed himself to two youngsters at a leisure complex in Linwood on July 25 this year.

The 46-year-old exposed himself to the girls, who can’t be named for legal reasons, at the On-X Sports Centre.

And earlier this month he did the same thing to three other girls in a shop in Braehead shopping centre.

Kay exposed himself to the trio, who also can’t be named for legal reasons, on August 13 within a New Look store.

An investigation was launched and during the probe suspicion fell on Kay, of Paisley’s Woodside Crescent.

He was arrested and held in police custody before appearing in the dock at Paisley Sheriff Court on Monday.

He pleaded guilty to both charges against him, which were brought under Section 25 of the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009.

The ages of the girls he exposed himself to were not detailed in the charges, other than to state they were under 13-years-old.

After being told by Kay’s solicitor, Michelle Skelley, that her client was pleading guilty to both charges against him, Sheriff Vincent Canavan pointed out Kay has three previous convictions for sex offences – dating between 1989 and 2004.

And he said he did not want the exact circumstances of Kay’s most recent offences to be explained to him as he will probably not be the sheriff who will sentence him for the crimes.

Prosecutor Ian Meacock had asked for a special condition of bail that Kay, who has a 19-year-old son and works as a plumber, be banned from having any interaction with anyone under the age of 16 – which was denied by the sheriff.

Kay was bailed on the special conditions he does not approach or enter both complexes and stays away from the girls he flashed.

He placed Kay on the sex offenders register and told him he will be reported to the Scottish Ministers so he can be banned from working with children and vulnerable groups. He will be assessed by social workers ahead of sentencing next month and could be jailed for the offence.