A PERVERT performed a sex act on himself in front of two horrified young girls on the packed number 11 bus.

Michael Reid began pleasuring himself after the girls, both aged 12, boarded the Stagecoach service at Saltcoats station.

Twisted Reid, 35, looked at the girls while performing the sex act, while sitting in the back row of the top deck on the double-decker bus.

And he would pause as new passengers were boarding the bus, so as not to draw attention to what he was doing.

Reid has now been placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register after holding his hands up over the sordid incident.

The details emerged this week when Reid, of Montgomerie Terrace, Kilwinning, appeared in the dock at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court over the incident.

He pleaded guilty to a charge of intentionally engaging in a sexual act in the presence of two minors, contrary to Section 22 of the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009.

Procurator Fiscal Depute Saud Ul-Hassan told the court the incident took place at about 8.20am on July 26, 2019, after the girls boarded the bus in Saltcoats.

The prosecutor explained: “Having sat down, they were made aware of the accused sitting at the opposite side [of the back row of the top deck].

“He was sitting with a blue Tesco carrier bag which had a bottle of alcohol within, and they noted he had repeatedly taken out the bottle to have a drink.

“The two witnesses were, at one point, having a conversation and the accused intervened.

“The witnesses continued to chat to each other and observed the accused masturbating his erect penis over his trousers.

“Whilst they were conversing, the accused kept looking at them and smiling.

“One of the witnesses began to record him on her mobile telephone.

“When persons entered on to the bus the accused would stop, but would continue once those passengers had sat down.”

The girls were so scared of Reid they began to text each other, rather than speaking out loud, and agreed to pretend they were getting off at the next stop.

They told the driver what had happened, and he contacted a supervisor, while Reid got off the bus.

The youngsters went to one of their homes and told a parent, with them going to Irvine police station later to report what had happened.

Reid was identified from photographs and, when interviewed and shown the video footage, he confirmed it was him.

When he was detained by police at his home, officers noted it was dirty and there were empty cans and bottles of booze everywhere - and childrens’ toys.

When cautioned and charged with the offence, Reid replied: “I have to be guilty. I’m really sorry.”

Sheriff Shirley Foran called for background reports to be prepared ahead of sentencing, including a risk assessment, and continued Reid’s bail.

Reid could be caged for the offence when he returns to the dock next month to learn his fate.