A cleaner hid in the ladies' toilets at the Ashford Inland Revenue office and tried to take a photo of a woman, a court heard.

On another occasion he popped his head under a cubicle in the female toilets in the town’s Asda store and “growled” as he stared at his victim.

Maidstone Crown Court heard on Monday that James Todd was working as a cleaner at the Crown Buildings tax office in April last year.

A member of staff had gone into the toilets. She noticed one of the cubicles was already occupied.

Prosecutor Rufus Stilgoe said: “While in a cubicle the defendant put a mobile phone under the partition with the intention of taking footage or a photograph. He was not successful.”

The woman recognised 31-year-old Todd and raised the alarm.

Mr Stilgoe said Todd was arrested and made a full confession. “He said he had a real problem and found it sexually gratifying.”

Todd, of White Willow Close, Willesborough, admitted voyeurism, attempted voyeurism and indecent exposure.

The court heard that he had seen his GP for help to “deal with his urges” before he committed the offences and had received some counselling.

Passing sentence Judge David Griffith-Jones QC said such offences usually merited a jail term. However, he added that the public interest would be better served by imposing a community order with the requirement that Todd attends the Thames Valley Sex Offender Programme.

As part of the community order Todd will also be subject to three years’ supervision and be required to carry out 100 hours unpaid work.

For more on this story, see the Kentish Express, on sale Thursday