A PERVERT who positioned his phone in a ladies toilet to spy on women using the lavatory was labelled disgusting by his “violated” victims, Bradford Crown Court heard today.

Dale Simpson, 32, who admitted four offences of voyeurism, was told by the judge, Recorder Anthony Hawks: “I don’t know what you thought you were doing. I can’t think of anything more disgusting. You must have had a perverted sexual motive.”

Simpson, of Hammond Street, Fartown, Huddersfield, was caught after a woman in the Brighouse area spotted a light by the toilet brush and saw that it was a mobile phone recording her.

She could see herself on the screen and discovered that the phone had been running for 24 minutes.

She felt hurt, upset, violated, vulnerable and dirty, prosecutor Rebecca Young said.

When the police went to Simpson’s home they seized other devices containing recordings of women using a toilet.

Simpson made no comment in his police interview.

He had previous convictions for anti-social behaviour, assault and robbery, and he had served a seven-year prison sentence for possession of a firearm.

Since committing the offences of voyeurism, he had been to jail for unrelated matters of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and harassment.

His barrister, Robin Frieze, said he was “still in denial” but although he did not want to talk about it, he had admitted his guilt.

The offences were some time ago, and after serving the later prison sentence, he had done well on licence.

Recorder Hawks said Simpson had a poor record for offences of violence, dishonesty and the misuse of drugs but this was his only sexual offence.

He had denied it when he spoke to his probation officer but Recorder Hawks told him: “This putting your head in the sand attitude cannot persist.”

He sentenced Simpson to a two-year community order. He was ordered to attend the Accredited Sex Offender Programme and up to 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

Recorder Hawks said he must engage with “others with similar perverted interests” on the courses to discuss how to prevent any reoffending. If he didn’t take an active part in the sessions, he would be breached and faced going to prison.

He must also sign on the sex offender register for five years.