A PERVERTED soldier who filmed himself performing a sex act and videoed an unsuspecting woman in the shower has walked free from court in order to better protect the public.

Lewis Jeanes 34, twice filmed himself with his private parts exposed with an iPhone in alleyways, once in Hook in Hampshire and in Valentinus Crescent, Colchester, which is just yards away from Thomas Lord Audley School.

In both clips, women are seen walking into the shot with Jeanes exposing himself.

He also filmed a woman showering in a hotel in London, and himself again performing a sex act while she brushed her teeth in the background.

All the incidents took place in 2014.

The staff sergeant had denied three counts of exposure and one count of voyeurism but was found guilty by a jury following a trial.

During sentencing at Chelmsford Crown Court Judge David Turner QC said he had thought about sending Jeanes to prison, but decided a community penalty would better protect the public.

He said: “I could pass a short prison term, on one hand it is what you deserve.

“You would go to prison for a short time but would not engage with any therapy.

“You would be released with no money, no career, no relationship and no home and the situation would be bleak indeed.

“It is not without some hesitation I have decided on balance it is the better option for the public, and they are my primary concern, for you should be kept tabs on for some time to come.”

Pornography addict, Jeanes of Coggeshall Road, Marks Tey, will be under supervision for three years.

He will also undertake 200 hours of unpaid work in the next 12 months, and be made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for five years.

The vile videos were discovered by police who were monitoring Jeanes because of a previous conviction for sending explicit pictures of himself to women on Snapchat.

Incredibly, the incident in Hook was filmed just hours after he made a court appearance in relation to the Snapchat offences.

He has already completed the Thames Valley programme for sex offenders which he described as a “waste of time” and has now been ordered to take on the Horizon programme which aims to help participants curb risky behaviour.

The court heard Jeanes, who has served in the army for 18 years with an unblemished disciplinary record, would lose his job if handed a prison term.

Any severance would mean he forfeited his army pension lump sum and would be unable to withdraw from it until he was 60 – which could cost him £250,000.