A pensioner claimed to be ‘sexually frustrated’ after he filmed up shoppers ‘ skirts by strapping a phone to his shoes.

Anthony Wickham had the device’s camera facing upwards as he recorded women around a shopping centre, a clothing department and a supermarket.

On one occasion, the 67-year-old even captured himself looking directly into the lens as he tied his phone to his right foot.

Maidstone Crown Court heard that the extent of his warped behaviour only came to light after one woman had confronted the retired carpenter in the Langley Park branch of Aldi.

A subsequent police media appeal led to two of Wickham’s former customers identifying him from published CCTV images.

As well as his upskirting conduct, his arrest led to the discovery of him having three sexually explicit photographs of youngsters aged seven to 14 and footage of an unknown woman using a toilet.

Police also found he made numerous internet searches for pornography using terms such as ‘upskirt in supermarket’, ‘public nudity’ and ‘no panties’, and had multiple links to spy camera websites.

Wickham, of Bearsted, later admitted recording an image beneath clothing to observe another without consent, installing equipment with the intent to enable himself to observe another doing a private act for sexual gratification, and possessing indecent images of children.

The court was told, however, that there was no evidence suggesting he had recorded the ‘hidden camera’ toilet footage himself or was responsible for the photos.

Following his guilty pleas, the probation service prepared a report in which he described himself to the author as feeling ‘unhappy, isolated, lonely and sexually frustrated’ during his 43-year marriage.

Judge Gareth Branston told the father of two, who is now separated from his wife, that he should rightfully feel ’embarrassed and ashamed’ the ‘disgusting and violating’ crimes.

The court heard a woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was in the Aldi store in Edmett Way with her son at around 1pm on Saturday, June 10, 2023, when the defendant positioned himself close to her.

Prosecutor Dominic Connolly said: ‘She describes how, as she turned round, she nearly bumped into the defendant, who apologised and walked away. She then noticed a mobile phone tied to his right foot with the camera facing up.

‘She confronted him, asked him to show her, and he produced a different phone. She asked for the phone he had on his foot, he refused and left the store.’

A review of Aldi’s CCTV showed Wickham prior to being caught out ‘wandering around the store, making unusual movements with his right foot and placing it beneath women’s skirts’.

He was arrested in July that year and, although no incriminating evidence was found on his phone, analysis of several other devices seized from his home revealed evidence of his voyeurism and upskirting.

Mr Connolly said the material included 140 images of a woman using a toilet, with her buttocks and vagina visible.

The court heard that although the three child abuse images had been deleted, police were able to ascertain they depicted partially naked youngsters engaged in sexual acts with each other and adults alike.

Wickham, who has no previous convictions, was interviewed twice by police and answered ‘No comment’ on each occasion.

His Aldi victim, however, told officers about the profound and lasting effect the incident has had on both herself and her son to this day.

In her impact statement read to the court by the prosecutor, she said: ‘At the time I felt completely violated, exposed and humiliated. It was shocking to realise that in a public place where I should feel safe, someone chose to treat me in such a degrading and intrusive way.

‘What used to be a routine and simple task [shopping] has become something I now approach with anxiety. Every time I go into that particular shop, I’m on edge.’

“I find myself constantly looking around, checking who is near me and being hyper aware of my surroundings.

Emin Kandola, defending Wickham, told the court he was ‘profoundly remorseful’, felt a ‘deep shame and embarrassment’, and understood the impact his offending had had on the victim.

Judge Branston said that although the offending involved ‘significant planning and multiple targets’, there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation that enabled him to suspend a six-month jail term for 18 months.

As part of his sentence, Wickham was ordered to take part in a probation service-accredtited programme for 26 days and complete up to 30 rehabilitation activity requirement sessions.

He was also made subject to a sexual harm prevention order and sex offender notification requirements for 10 years, and told to pay £150 prosecution costs.