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A pervert secretly filmed and photographed hundreds of unsuspected women as they in changed in swimming pool changing rooms.

Sick David Walker, 48, of St Albans, Herts, was caught when a mother spotted his hand holding a device in unisex changing rooms at Hatfield Swim Centre.

Police later found 23 similar videos Walker had made of women at the popular pool.

Michael Gallacher, prosecuting, said the victim had gone swimming with her son and husband and while changing she "noticed a hand holding a device" sticking under her cubicle with a "small round lens".

After stepping on it and leaving the changing room she found Walker "scurrying around" outside and immediately called her husband.

They forced the twisted Peeping Tom to show them the footage and reported his car registration to police on May 9, 2015.

A staggering 270 pictures and 30 similar videos were found on his computer.

They included putting a camera in a bag and taking pictures up ladies' skirts, St Albans Magistrates' Court heard.

In a statement to the court, the horrified victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said: "The incident has left me feeling angry, shocked and violated.

"I do not expect to go swimming with my family and have this happening."

Walker admitted two counts of voyeurism, one of which related to the mother in the changing room and another to the 300 images/videos taken between January 1, 2014 and July 12, 2015.

Rubin Italia, defending Walker, said: "All images that were located were deleted or in the recycle bin so it would require someone with technical know-how to retrieve them."

Mr Italia said the "ripples will be felt probably for the rest of his life" as the scandal had forced Walker to open up to professionals, which has led to "genuine remorse".

Walker has a partner of nearly 20 years and two daughters aged 12 and 14 and his shameful crimes had "fractured" those relationships, the court heard.

Walker was given a three-year community order and told to pay £645 costs, including £500 compensation to the victim.

He will also be slapped on the sex offenders' list for five years.