A MAN who followed a woman into a sauna at the Health Hydro and performed a lewd act has been released on conditional bail while he awaits sentencing.

Dylan Lowe, 52, of Radnor Street, pleaded guilty to a charge of exposure at the Milton Road baths when he appeared at Swindon Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

Pauline Lambert, prosecuting, told the court that a woman went to the Health Hydro at 2.15pm on December 17 to go swimming and use the sauna. A man was sleeping on one of the loungers in his Speedo swimming trunks and was clearly aroused.

“She carried walking, went into a sauna, lay on one of the benches and began to read her book.

“After 10 minutes, she heard someone enter the room and looked up. The man was lying on part of an L-shaped lounger.”

The man’s trunks were pulled down and he was performing a lewd act with his eyes closed.

When he saw the woman watching him, he stopped.

“She grabbed her belongings and ran out to the receptionist to report him,” said Ms Lambert.

“The lady was left feeling distressed and could not stop crying.

“After he was arrested, Lowe said he wasn’t specifically thinking about the woman, but had been thinking about women in general.

“He said he had been under a lot of stress at work and being stressed can be linked to being aroused, or ‘horny’, as he put it.”

Gordon Hotson, defending, decided to save explaining the mitigating circumstances for his client until the sentencing next month. In the meantime, probation will prepare a report with more information about Mr Lowe, which will be taken into consideration when deciding his sentence.

Until his next court appearance on March 2, he is not allowed to go to the swimming baths.