An accountant caught trying to take upskirt films of female shoppers at Topshop in Oxford Street had a stash of 1,700 similar clips and images on his mobile phone, a court was told.

Leon Chan, 24, was stopped by a security guard when he was spotted clutching his iPhone and loitering around women at the flagship clothing store on New Year’s Day.

When challenged, Chan handed over the phone and told the guard: “I’m really sorry, I’m really stupid.”

Westminster magistrates’ court heard he had about 1,700 upskirt videos and pictures stored in the handset’s memory, which had all been created in just a few weeks before his arrest.

This has become more and more prevalent. To say there is no harm from upskirting, I disagree with Prosecutor Malachy Pakenham

The court was told Chan has a first-class degree in economics from the University of Leeds and works for accounting giant PricewaterhouseCoopers. “He can be described as a high flier,” said Michael Magarian QC, representing Chan. “He is in a very, very good job.

“When he was caught by the store detective he handed over his iPhone and gave the PIN straight away ... All of this behaviour was during a short period over Christmas and he will now face professional disciplinary proceedings as a result of this conviction. He was embarrassed and ashamed when he had to tell his employers.

“When he was arrested he told the police officers, ‘I’m really sorry, I’m really stupid.’ Maybe he wanted to be caught.”

Chan admitted to making 97 sample images of upskirting — pictures taken surreptitiously from an angle to see up a woman’s skirt or dress — that were found on his iPhone’s memory stick.

Prosecutor Malachy Pakenham challenged a claim from Mr Magarian that the harm caused by Chan had been limited as the women were unaware of what had happened.

“This has become more and more prevalent,” he said. “To say there is no harm, I disagree with. If women wearing skirts have a fear or trepidation that men near them may use devices to record them then that will have an impact on society.”

Magistrate Victoria Readman sent Chan to Southwark crown court for sentencing, citing the sheer number of images. “We are very concerned in relation to the seriousness of the offence,” she said.

Chan, of Whitechapel, pleaded guilty to outraging public decency.

He was released on bail until a sentencing hearing on a date to be set.