A pervert who climbed into the roof space above a tanning booth to leer at a naked woman has walked free from court.

Stephen Strange was sentenced to a three-month jail term but it was suspended for two years, meaning he will not go behind bars unless he re-offends or breaches the order.

A judge at Swindon Crown Court heard how the 43-year-old committed the offence of voyeurism at the Consol Suncentre on New Road, Chippenham, in July 2005.

Kirsty Real, prosecuting, said the victim had gone to the self service tanning salon shortly before 5pm to use a sun bed.

On her way in she saw the defendant, of Palmer Street, Chippenham, in the foyer and thought he must be waiting for someone at the unmanned shop.

After putting coins into the automated booth she went in, undressed and was on her back under a sun bed with the lid down when she heard a "scrabbling noise" above.

She lifted the lid of the sun bed to take a look at what made the noise and saw a piece of ceiling fall down, revealing Strange's face.

Miss Real said: "He said to her 'I just wanted to see what people do in here'. She was scared he might climb down."

She said the woman grabbed her clothes and shouted at him to go away, to which he replied: "No, I am going to stay."

The woman left the booth and got a number to call from the foyer and reported the matter to the salon's owners and the police.

Officers looked at CCTV from the foyer and recognised Strange, who was also picked out in a video identity parade by the victim and another woman who had been at the salon.

When he was questioned the defendant said he must have been there if there was video but could not recall it.

He said that when he was last in custody a microchip had been fitted to his body meaning the police always knew where he was.

Miss Real said a fingerprint was also found on the machine in booth four and damage to the roof in booths four and five.

She said it was believed he had paid to use booth four and climbed through the ceiling to peer into booth five.

Strange pleaded guilty to a charge of voyeurism.

Ian Halliday, defending, said his client had a long list of previous offending going back about 30 years, but no sexual offences.

Strange had a history of drink and drug abuse, he said, and during his last period in custody in 2005 his mental health deteriorated.

He described the offence as "blundering", pointing out the "inept way it was carried out" and something his client also found abhorrent.

"His mitigation is this; it was an unusual offence but it is a one-off offence. He is properly deserving of the court's pity, no, the court's ire."

Passing sentence Recorder Duncan Adam said: "You realised this woman's worst nightmare. You brought it into reality.

"There she was naked, face up on this tanning machine and when you appeared through the ceiling. You can imagine how terrified she must have been; not knowing you, having behaved in that bizarre way, what else you might do."

He imposed a three-month jail term suspended for two years and ordered Strange be on probation for two years and receive psychiatric treatment. He must also register as a sex offended for seven years.