A VILE pervert targeted a girl with spy cameras while she got changed for swimming.

Robert Prior routinely travelled from his Billericay home to the London Aquatic Centre and hid a USB camera on a set of keys to place into a changing room while the girl undressed.

The 43-year-old carried out his behaviour on separate occasions in 2017 and 2018 on the same girl aged under 16.

His intention was to take the footage home and view it, but he was unsuccessful with in all six attempts.

Previously, Prior had downloaded 17 child abuse images to various devices and would message other paedophiles in forums gloating about his actions.

Prior’s crimes were exposed when police raided his house in July 2018, as they had become suspicious following his online activity.

In a voluntary interview, Prior then confessed to his actions, including planting the cameras.

Prior, of Upland Road, Billericay, admitted six charges including making indecent images, publishing an obscene article and attempting to create indecent images.

He appeared at Basildon Crown Court yesterday.

In a victim impact statement written by the girl’s mother, she said she and her husband “feared to take their children outside” for months and “could never get to sleep” due to anxiety, which took a toll on their working lives.

Judge Samantha Cohen told Prior: “You have an entrenched, serious sexual interest in pre-pubescent children.

“You progressed from looking at images to talking about abuse, to targeting specific children.”

Prior was jailed for two years and nine months and was given an indefinite Sexual Harm and Prevention Order.

The Echo attempted to source a police custody picture of Prior but because he attended his initial interview voluntarily, no picture is available.