Dan Hoyt - the "smirking sicko" who exposed himself to a 22-year-old woman on New York's subway and became a net celebrity for his trouble - has been released on $5,000 bail after appearing in court on four charges of subway flashing. The fugitive from justice finally gave himself up last Wednesday and was picked from a line-up by four of his alleged victims.

Hoyt's unzipped escapades came to an end when he ill-advisedly exposed his privates to Thao Nguyen back in August. Quick as a flash, Nguyen captured a pic of the masturbating perv on her mobe and posted it on the web. After the snap made it to the front page of the NY Daily News, the perp was rapidly identified as the owner of two vegetarian restaurants - named "Quintessence" - who had already done two days' community service for "public lewdness" on the subway back in 1994.

Nguyen says she hopes he gets a spell in chokey this time around: "He has some serious issues that need to be addressed through therapy and counseling - not two days of community service. That's pretty much a slap on the wrist and it doesn't help deter him from doing it again."

Hoyt, though, seems unrepentant. With "a smirk on his face and a leer in his voice" he dismissed the charges against him with a "It's a misdemeanor" as he left the Manhattan court. An outraged Nguyen fumed: "What he has done was so disrespectful to women. Perhaps his smug attitude and total lack of remorse may influence the judge's sentence? If there's ever been an example of a guy who deserves the full three-month prison sentence, he's it."

Three months is indeed the full stretch for Hoyt's misdemeanours, although the effect on his business might be more likely to permanently wipe the smirk from his face. The NY Daily News reports that at Quintessence on East 10th Street, "which serves healthy fare like hemp seed burgers and nut milk", workers refused to comment on their bosses onanistic tendencies. Former customers, however, were more forthcoming. Melissa Kolbert told the paper: "I've only eaten there once before, but I'll never go back."

We're not surprised, and would rather not even contemplate the idea of paying good money to drink Dan Hoyt's nut milk. ®