Colin Haw, 47, filmed men meeting for sex in an attempt to stop them cruising in a Lincolnshire wood has been spared jail.

He admitted a public order offence for filming one person in June. He was sentenced at Boston Magistrates' Court to 4 months in prison, suspended, and given 200 hours community service.

Photos shown to the court detailed Haw and others wearing balaclavas and combat gear with video cameras and walkie-talkies in the wood. They would pretend to be looking for sex to lure gay men into the area before confronting them and asking what they were doing. The footage would have music such as YMCA by the Village People and the Teddy Bear's Picnic added.

Defending him, Liz Harte, described Haw's actions as a "misguided enterprise". She told the court, "Mr Haw thought he was doing the right thing. The thinking was that he was a protector of morals and a guardian of children."

After the hearing the Lincolnshire-based Strategic Independent Advisory Group, which represents vulnerable communities, and Lincolnshire Kaleidoscope which represents gay, bisexual, lesbian and transgender people condemned Haw's actions as "truly disgusting."

Haw has made a comment, "I've got nothing against the gay community, but what I do not like, whether it's gay or heterosexual, is sex in a public place. I've got a problem with that."