A VAN driver who picked up a female Army cadet and wouldn't let her out until she handed over her underwear has been jailed for two years.

And when Paul Goldie is released he will be on licence for an extra four years after a judge ruled he presents a significant risk of serious harm to lone females.

The 44-year-old was driving on the A350 between Westbury and Warminster when he spotted the 20-year-old walking along the carriageway with her backpack.

He told the young cadet, who had come down from Scotland, he would give her a lift to the Travelodge at the A36 roundabout where she had booked a room.

As it was getting dark on the busy road she agreed but when they got to the junction she noticed they had missed the turning to the hotel.

Matthew Scott, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court she got her phone out to call for help but he snatched it from her and put in the driver's door pocket.

He then told her very calmly that he was going to take her to a lay-by where she would take her clothes off and carry out a sex act on herself in front of him.

She shouted 'no' and asked what he was doing and after about five minutes trying to persuade her he said he would drop her at the hotel in exchange for her knickers.

Mr Scott said she again refused but in order to get her phone back she agreed to give him some underwear from her bag, but he insisted they must be worn first.

He insisted she put them down her trousers before he accepted them and once she handed over the he started telling her his wife had left him and he was sorry as he had never acted like that before.

"At that point he drove off and she was able to continue in to the hotel. Before she did that she saw some police officers in a car nearby," Mr Scott said.

"She told them what had happened and for whatever reason the police didn't appear to have taken it very seriously."

Officers went to his house and warned him about picking up hitchhikers, but only after she gave police north of the border a fuller account after getting home was he arrested.

Goldie, of Maddocks Hill, Warminster, pleaded guilty to attempting to cause a person to engage in sexual activity without consent.

The court heard that he had been jailed for 13 months in July 2012 after being convicted of another sexual assault.

James Burke, defending, said plainly the victim had not appeared distressed when she first spoke to the police, which is why they took the attitude they did.

He said since Goldie was discharged from the Army he has worked as an assistance manager in the family business, which is a car parts shop, and lived alone.

Jailing him Recorder Rosie Collins said: "She was in effect stuck in that car with you without he phone: it must have been an extraordinarily frightening situation.

"She could have been terrified: in fact she was extremely resolute. Someone else in that situation might have been absolutely terrified.

"You are a significant risk of harm to lone females in particular but of significant risk of harm to the public."

She jailed him for two years, of which he will have to serve two thirds before he can apply for parole, with a four-year extended licence and must register as a sex offender for life.