A “SEXUAL deviant” who filmed women in bikinis on Southend beaches for “his own sexual pleasure” has avoided jail.

Sean Bartropp,of Warick Road, Rayleigh, appeared in court yesterday after police found a catalogue of indecent images of children on his computer, including the videos of women he had taken on Southend and Westcliff beaches.

The court heard the 53-year-old had videos dating back as far as the early nineties.

He avoided jail but was branded “disgraceful” by the judge.

Brian Reece, prosecuting, said: “Police searched his home in February when he told them there was a USB stick with the material on it.

“There was a folder with videos of young women in swim wear on the beach in Southend and Westcliff and he was focusing on the front area of the bikini. He had been doing this for years and some dated back to 1991.

“He told police he filmed the videos for his own sexual pleasure. In March 2004 he was jailed for four months for making and possessing indecent images of children.

“This is a man with a sexual deviance which he’s had for many, many years and he went about secretly filming people.”

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Mitigating Natalie Bird told the court he made full admissions and helped direct police to the material.

She said: “He’s been seeking help and is desperate to get the help he needs. He’s decided enough is enough of his criminal habit.”

Sentencing Judge Samantha Cohen, said: “One of the videos is the most serious offence and it’s one you took yourself of three teenage girls and you focuses the camera lens in a sexual way.

“It was something you resented and were distressed by and it was taken by in 1995. It is always disgraceful and wrong to video teenagers without permission.”

He admitted three counts of making indecent photographs of a child and 15 counts of act of outraging public decency.

He was sentenced to a year in prison, suspended for two years, and was ordered to complete the horizon programme, 66 rehabilitation activity days, and was placed under curfew from 9am to 7pm until September 4.

He was also placed on the sex offenders register for ten years was ordered to pay £500 towards prosecution costs.