A SERIAL flasher who had spent half a year in custody awaiting sentence was set free yesterday (Monday).

Thomas Harcombe, 41, was sent to a hostel in the same Taunton street where he committed one of his offences.

His behaviour will be monitored before he is sentenced on October 1 for breaching an Anti-Social Behaviour Order and three counts of exposure.

Taunton Crown Court heard that Harcombe had been in custody for 180 days because the authorities had been unable to find "suitable" accommodation for him.

Agreeing to release him and deferring sentence for four weeks, Mr Record Malcolm Gibney said he had already served the equivalent of a year in prison.

He added: "He has committed offences in more places in Taunton than this street and in more places than Taunton."

Harcombe, who will be supervised in the hostel, was warned to stay off alcohol, not to expose himself in public and to comply with the terms of an ASBO.

The Recorder told him he would inevitably face "a protracted custodial sentence" if he re-offended.