A VOYEUR who set up his phone in a bathroom to covertly record a girl washing has avoided prison.

Matthew Creese was caught in the act when the victim, from Clacton, noticed the phone propped up behind a plant pot and called for help.

After Creese, 33, was arrested, police also discovered sickening pornography on the phone depicting a sexual encounter with a dog.

There were also multiple video clips recorded by Creese showing occasions where he had discreetly filmed women in shops.

Kate Davey, prosecuting at Chelmsford Crown Court, said Creese had lied in police interview, saying he had left his phone behind in the bathroom by accident.

Footage recovered by police shows Creese setting up the camera prior to the victim entering the bathroom.

She said: “It shows the defendant positioning the camera, walking away and checking, adjusting the telephone so it had plain view of the victim.

“It was partially, but quite well, concealed by a plant pot.”

“In interview he said he hadn’t been filming her deliberately and there was no sexual intention.

“He said he liked to take amusing clips of himself in the lavatory and had overlooked that he left it switched on.”

Creese, of Moulton Seas End, Spalding, Lincolnshire, admitted one count of voyeurism and one count of possessing an extreme pornographic image.

Judge David Turner QC said: “This was ugly and exploitative conduct and pretty rotten behaviour.”

Caroline Milroy, mitigating, said Creese understood the “hurt and upset” he has caused.

She said: “He knows this is not something that is going to disappear overnight.

“He realises he has brought it all on himself.

“There wasn’t any attempt to delete the images or dispose of the phone, so he still had them in his possession when he was arrested.”

Judge Turner sentenced Creese to a total of six months imprisonment, suspended for two years.

He said: “You committed a despicable piece of misbehaviour.

“This was ugly and exploitative conduct.

“You planned what you were going to do even if it arose spontaneously in your rather perverted mind.

“In interview you advance an absurd account of placing your phone primarily to record yourself.

“It insults our intelligence to suggest you got distracted and happened to leave your phone behind.

“I have no doubt at all you have caused a measure of extreme distress to the family, who found this undermining.”