A HORRIFIED woman discovered a digital camera hidden inside an innocent-looking cardboard box in her bathroom.

And when police seized computer equipment belonging to Alan Berkshire in April 2006, they found scores of images of the naked 22-year-old stored on his computer.

Snaresbrook Crown Court heard how jobless Berkshire, aged 56, of Lingfield Crescent, Falconwood, had told police the incident had been a "one off".

But police found nearly 60 images of the woman in various states of undress, which he had taken over a period of two months.

Prosecutor Christopher Amor said: "He claimed this was the one and only time he had done this."

But the court heard his victim was shown 77 images on Berkshire's computer and identified herself as the person in 59 of the pictures, taken on various different dates.

Mr Amor said: "It was quite contrary to what the defendant was claiming when he was interviewed, that this was the one and only time he had done this."

The court was told at first, Berkshire had tried to convince police he was not turned on by the pictures he had taken.

Mr Amor said: "He denied doing it for any sexual gratification but, later on, said the sight of a naked girl would sexually arouse him."

Berkshire pleaded guilty to 11 charges of voyeurism.

But he escaped a jail sentence after Judge Inigo Bing said prison would fail to address Berkshire's "sexual deviance".

Instead, he ordered Berkshire to attend a sex offenders' programme as part of a three-year community punishment order.

Berkshire will also go on the Sex Offenders' Register for five years.

The judge told him: "I agree with the comment made by the author of the pre-sentence report.

"It describes your behaviour as manipulative, predatory and a violation."

He added: "These words describe exactly what you did."

But he said Berkshire would receive no help or counselling for the underlying reason why he committed the offences if he was sent to jail.