Declan Crosbie, 25, from Leeds, was caught peeking over the top of cubicles as athletes got changed at a Leeds University pool, where they were staging a pre-Games training camp. 

He admitted trespass with intent to commit a sexual offence and was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court.

But he escaped being sent to prison. 

A judge at the Leeds Crown Court said he thought the public would be better protected from Crosbie by a community order rather than sending him to prison because it would guarantee he would go on a sex offenders' treatment programme.

A previous hearing had heard how a woman reported seeing Crosbie enter the changing room alongside members of the Chinese team, who were training at the pool ahead of the London 2012 Olympics.

Crosbie later handed himself in to police and pleaded guilty last month to trespass with intent to commit a sexual offence.

The defendant was jailed for three years in 2009 after trespassing in a private home and he was found standing over a sleeping student, whose trousers had been pulled down.

The Recorder of Leeds, Judge Peter Collier QC, said the 2009 jail sentence was passed in the hope Crosbie would be sent on a treatment course but it never happened.

Giving him a three-year community order, Judge Collier said this would guarantee he would attend the course.

"I'm satisfied it is on the public interest and long term interest of better protection of the public that I make a community order in your case today," said Judge Collier.

At the last hearing, the judge queried if the case should be dealt with under special fast-track Olympic rules that were in place for London 2012.

The judge said it was technically an Olympic offence but there was no suggestion the defendant knew who the women were or that they were athletes training for London 2012.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]