Jail for perverted pensioner who used spy camera for his gratification

Police discovered John Christopher Wilks's covert activities when they searched his home in Whincover Grange, Farnley, Leeds, in 2008, seizing computer equipment on which they found more than 4,000 indecent images of children.

They also recovered 13 movie clips which revealed his secret recordings in Briggate and Leeds Bus Station using a specially imported camera for his own sexual gratification.

Some 60-80 women and young girls had been captured by him during his outings some of which he had then taken stills from and used as "wallpaper", background images on his desk top, John Bull, prosecuting, told Leeds Crown Court yesterday. The former teacher and accountant had moved to Leeds after a similar conviction before Salford Magistrates in 2000 for taking indecent photos of children became public.

He was then put on probation for two years and ordered to attend a sex offender programme after the court heard he had secretly filmed up the skirts of a girls' dance troupe he was driving around.

Wilks, 67, admitted 21 offences of making indecent images and two of doing acts outraging public decency by filming. He was barred from working with children and ordered to register as a sex offender for seven years.

Jailing him Judge Kerry Macgill said he was an intelligent and articulate man who had successfully held down work as an accountant for many years.

"But like many offenders coming before courts for these offences you were leading a double life."

James Lake for Wilks said he had worked for many years without any problems and had thrown himself into community activities particularly for the elderly after his retirement.