MASTURBATING PASTOR GETS 3 YEAR SUSPENDED SENTENCE

An anti-gay American pastor who was caught masturbating near children in a public park has received a suspended sentence of three years in prison.

Louisiana-based Pastor Grant Storms (55) was arrested in February 2011 after he was found masturbating at the Lafreniere Park, near a children’s playground.

At the time he denied the accusation, at first claiming that he was trying to urinate into a bottle and then stating that he merely had his hand in his pants.

On Wednesday, he was found guilty of obscenity.

In a confession, Storms, who ran a gardening business, said that he became “horny” while cutting grass.

He admitted to masturbating in his pants but insisted that he never exposed his penis. He said that he pleasured himself in the park because it was “a thrill” but denied that he was a paedophile.

Storms, who was known for campaigning against the gay community and the Southern Decadence gay festival in New Orleans, apologised to the gay community soon after his arrest.

“I ask people that if they can find it in their heart, to forgive me. Which for some… it is not going to be easy to do because I had been vicious at times in my condemnation of others. I apologise for that,” he said at the time.