A voyeur who hid a webcam in a toilet bag to film a friend while she was having a bath has been ordered to pay her £300 compensation.
Croydon Magistrates also imposed a three-year community order on Jason Shotton (23), of Hall Hill Road, Holbeach, who pleaded guilty to voyeurism on or about September 1, 2011 at a house at New Addington, Surrey.
Shotton will be under supervision for three years, must attend a course for sex offenders and pay £85 costs. He will remain on the sex offenders’ register for five years.
Chairman of the bench, Roger Keep said what Shotton did “was planned and thought out.”
He added: “You’ve seen the video on a number of occasions – can you imagine her embarrassment?”
Prosecutor Nicola Calnan said Shotton had stayed at various addresses after having some problems. His victim was among his friends and he slept downstairs for a few months at her parents’ home.
It was after he returned to Lincolnshire that a housemate found the recording.
“Shotton was interviewed by police and confessed to setting up a webcam in a wash bag on the top of a toilet,” said Mrs Calnan.
“He said he had a ‘crush’ on her and wanted to see her naked. Initially, he thought it was ‘nice’ as he watched it but then ‘felt it was wrong and perverted.’
Paul Carr, mitigating, said: “It was one video, a one-off. She had taken a photo of him naked and said she would show their friends. The next day he set up the webcam – his desire was to have some form of collateral.”
Mr Carr said Shotton, who prepares food for Marks&Spencer, is sorry for what he did and his current girlfriend is standing by him.