A VOYEUR has been placed on the sex offenders' register after he set up a camera to try and catch a teenage girl undressing.

Burnley Crown Court heard how John King, 40, failed to capture the girl partially clothed but a DVD seized by police showed her painting her toe nails.

King, whose activities have lost him his job and the support of his own family, admitted watching someone carrying out a private act.

The defendant, then of Burnley, who struck in the town, but now lives at Warwick Road, Old Trafford, Manchester, was given a two year community order, with two years supervision and was placed on the Sex Offenders' Register for five years.

He was also ordered to attend the Sex Offenders' Management Unit.

Sentencing, Judge Andrew Woolman said the case was unusual and added King obviously got a kick out of viewing teenage girls. He told King he did not think the defendant realised how disgusting his conduct was and he had tried to put forward all sorts of silly excuses.

The judge said guidelines stated that because the victim had not suffered actual harm, even though she had had a great deal of distress, a custodial sentence would be wrong.

Julian Taylor, prosecuting, told the court the victim was very upset when she spotted the camera last April and telephoned her mother.

Police were alerted and seized a DVD. The defendant was arrested and made no comment. He gave a prepared statement claiming he had not done it for sexual gratification - but by his plea he had admitted he had.

Mr Taylor said in her impact statement, the victim had spoken of her outrage and fury over the offence. King had previous convictions, but nothing of a sexual nature.

Simeon Evans, prosecuting, said the DVD showed the girl painting her toenails. It did not show her getting undressed, but that was not to say the camera was not capable of that.

There was no suggestion King had said or acted in any way inappropriately towards the girl. King had lost his job because he was now on the sex offenders' register.

Mr Evans said King still struggled with the concept he was doing what he was doing for sexual gratification. He felt remorse and he had been ostracised by his own family which was disgusted by what he had done.

The barrister said: "The defendant is very very embarrassed indeed about the position he is in and he is ashamed."