A care home worker who secretly filmed female colleagues using the toilet at work has appeared in court.

Bradford and Keighley Magistrates’ Court yesterday heard that Graham Bevan, 53, had hidden a mobile phone in a bath back rest in a communal bathroom at the care home in Keighley.

Paul Ramsey, prosecuting, said that a member of staff was using the communal toilet, which was also used by residents, on December 1, 2011, when she heard a vibrating sound.

She investigated and found a hole in the woven material of a bath back rest about 1.5 metres away from the toilet.

On closer inspection she found a mobile phone inside the bath rest. The phone was switched on in video mode and recording.

Mr Ramsey said the woman immediately went and told a colleague. While talking to the colleague Bevan approached her.

“Then, without warning he snatched the phone and proceeded to the exit at a fast pace. Asked what he was doing, he said he was deleting everything from the phone,” Mr Ramsey said.

The court hear that Bevan twice apologised to staff as they started writing a report and said he was filming to see how many people were using the bathroom.

Police later searched Bevan’s home in Lord Street, Haworth, and found a mobile phone and a Dell computer with seven home-made recordings taken within the care home. The court heard the films were of an explicit nature and that the camera had been positioned so as to record people using the toilet.

Mitigating, Mohammed Hussain asked magistrates to consider that the films were not distributed, were not of sexual activity, were not made for commercial gain and did not show any vulnerable residents.

“He initially started recording the toilet facilities because he was told you’re not allowed to use your mobile phones while working and he thought that people were going to the toilet and using their mobile phones. He placed the camera there to catch people,” Mr Hussain said.

The court heard that Bevan had no previous convictions and had depression and anxiety as a result of his behaviour.

Bevan had pleaded guilty to two counts of voyeurism and one count of attempting to observe a person doing a private act, without their consent, at an earlier hearing.

He was told his case was too serious to be dealt with by magistrates and he will be sentenced at Bradford Crown Court on March 12.

He was remanded on bail by magistrates on conditions that he does not approach the three women filmed or go within 100 metres of the care home.