A pervert filmed a mother and her 16-year-old daughter, who has learning difficulties, as they got changed at a swimming pool.

Depressed David Skinner’s life had unfurled since the break up of his 18-year marriage and the discovery his wife had been having an affair, his solicitor John Roberts told Medway Magistrates’ Court last Wednesday.

That situation, added Mr Roberts, went some way towards explaining how his client, a man with no previous relevant convictions, came to be sat in a cubicle at Splashes, in Bloors Lane, Rainham, holding his phone up to a hole in the wall.

The father-of-two, now of Bower Terrace, Maidstone, had initially gone to the leisure centre on last June 29 last year for a swim.

There are mixed gender changing rooms there, explained prosecutor James Nichols, and Skinner chose a family sized one.

After an hour in the pool the 64-year-old returned to the changing room and heard female voices in the neighbouring booth.

He’d later tell police he noticed a hole in the wall, left from where a bracket had been removed, and decided to put his phone up to it.

“I know it was wrong. It seemed like a good idea at the time..." David Skinner

“There was no pre-planning involved,” explained Mr Roberts, adding Skinner had only chosen to spy on the pair when he heard their voices and had no idea one of the victims was a child.

But Mr Nichols told the court tape which staff had placed over the hole had been cut away, with police finding a blade in Skinner’s bag.

When the mother noticed the lens of the phone’s camera she immediately told her daughter to cover up and began banging on the wall and shouting.

Skinner was confronted and tried to push his way past staff but police were called and he surrendered his phone.

Footage recovered showed the mother and daughter getting changed into their costumes but Skinner was found lurking after they’d been swimming, proving he’d made two attempts to film them, Mr Nichols explained.

Skinner told police: “I know it was wrong. It seemed like a good idea at the time. You think if they don’t see you it does not matter.”

He admitted recording the pair and said he planned to watch it later at home but when presented with evidence found in his bag he admitted he had already viewed the clip and performed a sex act while in the cubicle.

After reading a report from probation, chairman of the bench Richard Moss sentenced Skinner to a 24-month community order.

During that period he must take part in the government’s Horizon rehabilitation programme and attend 20 activity sessions.

In addition Skinner, who is the father of two, will be subject to a seven-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order which bans him from using mixed gender changing rooms. During that period he will also be on the sex offenders’ register.

He must also pay £170, an £85 victim surcharge and £85 prosecution costs.

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