A PERVERT arrested for filming up the skirts of unsuspecting schoolgirls and women in Golden Square was also found to have a collection of shocking child abuse images on his computers, a court heard.

Lee Davies, of Brunswick Road, Newton-le-Willows, was told his behaviour was 'wholly utterly depraved' as he was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment suspended for two years.

Liverpool Crown Court heard today, Wednesday, how the 42-year-old was spotted acting suspiciously in the shopping centre on May 29 by a member of the public.

He alerted a security guard who began following Davies around the area including into the bus station.

Anthony O’Donohoe, prosecuting, said: “He was carrying a bag for life from a supermarket at the bottom of which was his mobile phone positioned in such a way it would record up females skirts."

For a prolonged period of time he was 'fiddling' with the camera and invading the personal space of women.

He was then detained where he told officers 'Ok, I have been doing it'.

When his mobile phone was examined officers saw a video clip up a female’s skirt showing her bottom.

Other images were taken up skirts of what appeared to be school uniform of young girls.

His home was searched and two laptops and a memory card were seized.

“When examined they showed many images of such filming up skirts of other women and girls invariably wearing short skirts or tight clothing,” added Mr O’Donohoe.

There were also 188 pornographic images of children in all three categories of seriousness and almost 1,000 extreme porn images depicting sexual activity involving animals and adults.

Additionally there were five prohibited cartoon images involving child sex.

Davies pleaded guilty to outraging public decency, three offences of making indecent images, three involving possessing a total of 188 indecent images, 941 extreme pornographic images and five prohibited images.

James Edwards, defending, told Liverpool Crown Court that Davies, who lives alone, had struggled with issues in his life linked to drink and drugs.

“He is remorseful for what he has done,” added Mr Edwards.

Sentencing him to 18 months imprisonment suspended for two years Mr Justice Dove told him that he had invaded the privacy of the women by filming up their skirts 'in a manner which was wholly and totally depraved'.

He added: “I don’t accept that there are no victims simply because they were oblivious to your depraved behaviour.

"They clearly were victims and it was a serious violation of their privacy.”

But during sentencing he acknowledged Davies' desire to mend his ways.

He ordered Davies to attend a sexual offences rehabilitation course and 10 days probation service activities.

He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for ten years and imposed a sexual harm prevention order restricting his internet use for five years.