A SWINDON dad who secretly filmed his children naked in the shower while high on drugs and drink has avoided an immediate jail sentence after a judge ruled he had a “real prospect of rehabilitation”.

The pervert hid a GoPro in the family bathroom and captured his son and daughter, then 11 and 10 respectively, undressing and stepping into the shower.

He saved the videos onto an SD card and kept it for seven years for sexual gratification before he was found out – when he accidentally left it at a friend’s house.

The Adver is not naming the man to avoid identifying the victims, whose identities are protected by law.

Appearing before Swindon Crown Court, where he was sentenced for two counts of voyeurism and four counts of producing an indecent video of a child, the pervert avoided an immediate jail sentence after it was heard that he has made “determined efforts to try and put his life straight”.

Prosecutor Richard Tutt told the court that a friend of the defendant had found the SD card after he had stayed at his house. He challenged his friend but the defendant urged him not to worry about it and to delete the videos.

When police examined the footage, as well as the indecent videos, which were classed as Category C, police also found footage of the defendant setting it up and looking into the camera, the court heard.

In another incident when she was older, the man’s daughter reported how he had entered her room whilst she was in the shower, to prop his phone up in the corner whilst recording. She had spotted it as she walked into the room dressed in a towel, and deleted the recording.

Mr Tutt added: “The defendant gave a no comment interview, but whilst the police were undertaking a risk assessment, he did say off the record that he felt disgusted and ashamed, that he clearly took the videos but couldn’t remember it because he had been high on drugs.”

The son had said that he felt as if his “privacy has been invaded” when he found out, whilst the daughter said she was “trying to process” her emotions.

The defendant’s advocate, John Upton, said that at the time of the offences in 2013, he had been taking a “cocktail of illegal drugs” including cocaine, speed and cannabis, and “drinking to excess”.

He added that it was “perhaps trite” to say that he “bitterly regrets… that he finds himself here today”, “not only from his own point of view but his children’s point of view”.

But Mr Upton added that he had “dried himself out” and “weened himself off” alcohol and drugs, and patched up his relationship with his son.

“It is difficult to remember another defendant in his particular circumstances who has made such determined efforts to try and put his life straight, particularly knowing what may well be facing him,” he added.

Sentencing, Judge Jason Taylor QC said: “Whilst you do pose a risk [of reoffending], they are deemed to be manageable within the community.

“It is right to suspend your sentence. There is a real prospect of rehabilitation and in the round strong personal mitigation.”

He was given a two-year jail term, suspended for two years, and must also carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

The man must also carry out 200 hours of unpaid work, and will have a six-month curfew between 8pm and 6am. He will have to pay £750 in court costs, and will undergo the Horizon rehabilitation programme.