A pervert who used his iPhone to film up women's skirts in Morrisons has been sacked by his own parents.

Electrician Carl Underdown, 23, was given his marching orders by Paul and Erica after he admitted outraging public decency.

Canterbury magistrates heard customers had expressed concerns about employing family firm The Belmont Group after the Gazette revealed Underdown's YouTube-inspired filming last month.

Underdown, of Western Esplanade, Herne Bay, had been cast into the public spotlight after admitting secretly videoing 16 girls in the Beach Street supermarket.

Defending, Keith Betts said: "At the time of this offence he was employed as an electrician and working for the family firm - work that, following his court appearance, was affected by coverage in the press.

"It became clear that people employing his family's company were aware of the offences and his family had to sack him for the sake of the business."

Underdown came unstuck in July after he was spotted prowling supermarket aisles with his iPhone.

Eagle-eyed Lori Nelder, 21, was shopping with her two-year-old daughter when she noticed him kneeling beside her at the bread counter.

She said: "He was crouched down on his knees with an iPhone in his hand. I could see the camera bit poking out of the case. He was so close he could have actually put his head up my skirt.

"He was whistling the Queen song Don't Stop Me Now. I thought 'Don't stop you? I just want to punch you'. "

Frightened Lori moved away to the sweet aisle, but the persistent pervert followed.

She said: "Every time I looked round he was there crouched down with the phone out. I just wanted to cry.

"I thought the staff knew what he was up to because they looked like they were watching him, but he didn't seem to care."

Lori, of Pier Avenue, Herne Bay, eventually alerted staff and Underdown was arrested after returning to the store five days later. Clips of Lori and 15 other women were found on his phone.

The court was told Underdown's life had been turned upside down since his arrest.

Mr Betts said: "Not only has he lost his job, but he's lost most of his friends as well. People just don't want to associate with him. It's something he has to accept is a consequence of his actions."

Betts added Underdown had gained "no sexual gratification whatsoever" from the videos and had no intention of posting them on the internet.

Magistrates banned Underdown from having video or photographic equipment in public and ordered him to sign on the Sex Offenders' Register for five years.

He narrowly escaped prison, receiving a 120-day jail term, suspended for two years.

Sentencing yesterday, chairman of the bench Anne Norris said: "This is a sexual offence which was particularly distressing to the victim. It cannot be allowed to happen. I think you understand that now. It's disgraceful.

"It was in a public place, you knew it was morally wrong, there was a child present and you caused distress and embarrassment to the victim.

"This bench will not tolerate that type of behaviour."