Ex-Crystal Palace striker, Neil Shipperley, 45, admitted exposing his genitals from inside his van as he drove alongside the pair in west London, a court heard.

The mother was left feeling ‘disgusted’ by the incident on Station Road in Hayes on the afternoon of September 17 this year, Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court heard today.

Prosecutor Shaan Sethi told the court Shipperley had driven his van up to the victim and her 16-year-old daughter, winding down his window and stopping the vehicle.

Mr Sethi said the pair had turned to thank Shipperley for letting them cross the road but ‘they then noticed he was holding his penis in his hand and staring directly at them’.

They walked away from the vehicle, with Shipperley following in the van as far as a set of traffic lights, the court heard.

Mr Sethi said Shipperley continued to stare at the two women this time ‘while masturbating’ and that the pair tried to take a photo of his number plate.

He added: ‘While the mother was on the phone to the police… they saw the defendant had parked himself between two buses further down the street, again staring at the two while masturbating.’

Shipperley later encountered the mother and daughter again when he voluntarily arrived at a police station and apologised, the court was told.

At his first court appearance last month, the ex-footballer pleaded guilty to a charge of intentionally exposing his genitals intending that someone would see them and be caused alarm or distress.

In a victim impact statement the mother said: ‘Some people may see flashers as pests or a nuisance to society, my view of Neil Shipperley is as a predator.

‘His aim was to intimidate us, to violate us, to shock us and to scare us.’

She added: ‘My 16-year-old daughter was horrified and kept asking me “mum what would have happened if I was on my own and you weren’t with me”?’

In her statement, the woman claimed Shipperley told her at the police station that if someone had done what he did to his own son ‘he would want to kill them’.

Mitigating for Shipperley, Sarah O’Kane said: ‘He has expressed anguish, embarrassment, shame, but above all remorse.

‘He is in short appalled by his actions and he wishes to apologise unreservedly to the complaint in this case.’

She explained Shipperley had sought counselling and had been dealing with personal issues including the death of his father, gambling and debts.

‘Everything came to a crescendo on the day in question,’ she said. ‘This was, he thinks on reflection, a cry for help.’

Shipperley, who also played for Southampton, Nottingham Forest, Wimbledon and Chelsea during his career, spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth, address and British nationality during Wednesday’s court hearing.

Wearing a grey suit with a dark patterned tie, the former England-U21 player gave little reaction as he was sentenced.

Chairwoman of the magistrates’ bench Sheila Evans told him he had committed a ‘serious offence’ that had left his victim ‘appalled’.

Shipperley, of West Drayton, west London, who has no previous convictions, was ordered to complete a 12-month community order, which includes a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

He must also complete 120 hours’ unpaid work and pay a £90 victim surcharge, £85 in costs and £200 in compensation.

Shipperley, who also managed lower league clubs until 2014, is subject to a five-year sexual offences notification requirement order and must report to Hayes police station within three days.