A voyeur who filmed underneath women's skirts in a supermarket was yesterday ordered not to use a camera in public for the next two years.

Hungarian national Szilard Szlavec, 30, was handed the antisocial behaviour order after he admitted a charge of outraging public decency.

Mr Szlavec of Preston, Lancashire, secretly captured moving images of three women at the town's Morrison's store in Riversway.

Preston Crown Court was told he entered the supermarket on the afternoon of May 31 with a black rucksack over his shoulder.

Paul Brookwell, prosecuting, said the defendant went on to stand directly behind a female wearing a white denim skirt.

Mr Szlavec then put the bag down near to the woman's legs before she moved on about 20 seconds later.

A security guard was observing and also saw similar incidents involving two other women wearing short skirts.

The guard then realised that a camera device was attached to the strap of the rucksack.

Mr Szlavec, who has lived in the UK for the past year, was detained by staff and arrested by police.

The defendant, of Northcote Road, admitted taking the images but gave no explanation to detectives.

Adrian Williams, defending, said: "He is a very contrite, very embarrassed and very ashamed man."

He said the motivation of his client remained unclear but accepted it must have been for personal gratification.

Mr Williams added: "The women in this case were never aware of what was happening and have not become aware as a result of the prosecution."

There was no evidence that he intended to sell or distribute the images, he said.

Sentencing, Judge Andrew Woolman said: "This was a disgraceful offence.

"Fortunately none of the women discovered what you were doing but if they had they would have been severely shocked by your behaviour.

"I accept that you are ashamed at what you have done now that the whole matter has been discovered and you have been caught."

Judge Woolman said he would not impose a custodial sentence because he treated the matter as a basic offence of voyeurism.

He gave the defendant a 12-month community service order with a direction that he performs 80 hours of unpaid work.

A two-year Asbo was also imposed in which Mr Szlavec cannot carry a camera in public, other than a camera in a mobile phone. However, he was not permitted to use the phone camera in public.

Judge Woolman concluded: "If this is to occur again you will go to prison either for the offence itself if you take photographs or for the serious offence of a breach of an antisocial behaviour order.