The victim told police she felt violated and revolted after she noticed Godden, 41, staring at her while he drove  on Monday, a statement of facts said.

The convicted sex offender had his right hand on the steering wheel and his left on his penis as he reversed his car along Memorial Drive, Bar Beach, in an effort to keep up with the victim.

He eventually had to stop and she noted his numberplate on her mobile phone before reporting the matter to police.

Minutes earlier, Godden had followed a 53-year-old woman along the same stretch of walkway and was seen to have both hands around his penis, the statement said.

She told police that Godden was ‘‘waving it around’’ while staring at her.

She used her mobile phone to take a photo of the car and reported the incident also.

Police found Godden, of Cecil Avenue, Waratah, near Nobbys Beach about an hour later and arrested him.

Officers noted that his shorts were rolled around the waist that indicated to them that he had hastily pulled them up.

Godden was charged with two counts of committing acts of indecency and pleaded guilty to both counts in Newcastle Local Court.

He also applied for bail, but magistrate Steven Jackson refused the application, saying: ‘‘I think the community may well be at risk.’’

‘‘I think he needs to be taken out of circulation for a period of time,’’ Mr Jackson said.

He noted that Godden received a suspended jail sentence and 200 hours of community service in 2011 for identical offences.

The case was adjourned to June so a pre-sentence report can be prepared and so Godden can be assessed by a specialist sex offenders unit within the Probation and Parole service.