Upskirting - the rather bizarre offence of using a camera or video to film up women's skirts - has not been stamped out in Kent despite it becoming a specific offence under The Voyeurism (Offences) Act, which came into force on April 12 last year.

Freedom of Information inquiries have revealed that there were 150 allegations of upskirting made to police forces in England and Wales in the first six months after the bill was introduced.

In Kent, there were 10 reports of upskirting, with five of the victims being teenagers aged between 13 and 17.

Although the law includes any uninvited filming of someone's person under their clothing and so can apply also to male victims, all of the Kent victims were female.

Police said that "evidential difficulties" had resulted in five cases being unable to proceed to criminal convictions, while three remained under investigation and two convictions had been secured.

Offenders can face two years in prison.

If the upskirting is committed to obtain sexual gratification, the perpetrators can also be placed on the sex offenders register.

If you become a victim of upskirting, report the offence to the police. You can seek support here.

To read more of our in depth coverage of all of the major trials coming out of crown and magistrates' courts across the county, click here.