David Holroyd smokes outside court in Peterborough, Ont., Wednesday, Mar. 6, 2013. (Clifford Skarstedt/QMI Agency)

PETERBOROUGH, Ont. -- A man who built a shack in his backyard so he could videotape his female neighbour was banned Wednesday from living in his home for three years.

A judge placed David Holroyd, who had earlier pleaded guilty to criminal harassment and breaching bail conditions, on probation for three years Wednesday and ordered him to keep 1,000 metres away from his victim.

Holroyd, 51, became infatuated with his neighbour and began staring at her from his property, approaching her at her work and stalking her on the street, court heard.

He admitted crawling on his lawn for a better look through her windows and even built a backyard shack so he could aim a video camera at her kitchen window, court heard.

According to a pre-sentence report, Holroyd was under a delusional belief the woman was spurring him on by appearing in her window in underwear.