A peeping Tom secretly filmed women who were in a state of undress, and one who was having sex, a court heard.

The 57-year-old zoomed a camcorder into the homes of seven females, who were unaware they were being watched.

The youngest, aged 17, was horrified to see on several occasions dark photocopies of an image of her head and face – and on one occasion of her exposed breast – on display at a local bus stop.

When police arrested Steven Sharpe at his home in Shenton Close, Whetstone, they found a collection of 21 films he had made and titled, including one named Peeping Productions.

He pleaded guilty to 10 offences of voyeurism, and asked for 34 similar offences to be considered, between September 2004 and October 2007.

Sharpe, who lives alone, also admitted an offence of harassment, in relation to the photocopied posters of the student, between February and June, last year.

Adrienne Lucking, prosecuting, told Leicester Crown Court the girl who recognised herself from photocopies at the bus stop was "very upset" and reported it to the police.

Mrs Lucking said on one occasion he filmed a woman having sex at her home.

She added: "He was fairly frank with the police, given that he didn't have much choice because of the evidence the police had. He deluded himself into thinking they knew he was watching."

She said Sharpe eventually accepted he had done it for sexual gratification.

Emma Stanbanks, mitigating, said Sharpe, who has no previous convictions, obtained the camcorder with the intention of recording keepsake memories of his elderly pet dog.

He later noticed people in their windows and decided to film them.

She said: "He's remorseful and accepts it caused distress and harm to the victims.

"He accepts he'd benefit from a sex offender treatment programme and is willing to take up assistance and support from the probation service to ensure it never happens again. He unreservedly apologises to the victims."

He was sentenced to a two-year community order, with supervision, and a condition to attend a sex offender group work programme.

Judge Michael Pert QC said: "You're a sex pest. Whether you appreciate it or not, every other right minded citizen recognises it. It's in everyone's interests you go on a sex offender programme."

Sharpe was made the subject of a sexual offences prevention order banning him from observing or seeking to observe any female changing clothes in any place and forbidding him from photographing or recording any female without their consent.

He was also banned from approaching any of the female victims he had filmed.

Sharpe will have to enlist on a sex offender register for five years.