A SEX pest pensioner found on the floor of the ladies' toilets in a health centre was trying to peer at women using the cubicles, a court was told.

Burnley Magistrates heard widowed "voyeur" Harry Salisbury, 83, who has previous convictions for indecency and is on the Sex Offenders' Register, later claimed he could not help himself.

He told police he was attracted to ladies' toilets because he liked women's bottoms.

The grandfather of four, said by his solicitor to have an "ongoing problem," was last summer convicted of indecent assault.

Salisbury, who is soon off to Australia to be reunited with family he has not seen for 40 years, was given a 12 months conditional discharge, with £55 costs. The bench chairman warned him to behave while away.

Salisbury, of High Street, Colne, admitted using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, on March 24.

Elizabeth Read, prosecuting, told the court a doctor at Nelson Health Centre on Leeds Road was told somebody had collapsed in the ladies' toilets. She went in and found the defendant getting up off the floor in one of the cubicles. Salisbury seemed agitated and when asked what he was doing said he had been using the lavatory and some money had fallen out of his pocket.

Salisbury told police: "l don't know what comes over me that makes me do it. I must need treatment."

The prosecutor said for whatever reason the defendant went into the ladies' toilets, he intended to lie down on the floor and observe women, young ladies and even young children using the lavatory.

Glen Smith, defending, said it was sad to see somebody of Salisbury's age in court with the shame and embarrassment which went with it.

Salisbury had been desperate to use the lavatory and the men's toilet cubicle was engaged. He went into the ladies' toilets, was satisfied nobody was in there and then accidentally dropped some money and was on the floor picking it up and saw an opportunity.

The solicitor said Salisbury's wife died in 1980 and his two children had moved to Australia 40 years ago. He had never seen his grandchildren, but was due to fly out to visit them for three months.