A STEVENSTON dad admitted to recording his teenage daughter, while she took a shower, with a hidden camera.

When he appeared at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court he said he only placed the equipment so he could watch his wife "for banter".

The man, who we have chosen not to name to protect the identity of his children, pleaded guilty to operating the camera equipment on various occasions between January 1, 2020 and March 13, 2022.

Court papers state he did so with the intention of enabling himself or another to observe his wife during a private act in that he installed and operated the equipment, covertly recording his wife - and daughter - whilst taking a shower. His daughter was aged between 12 and 14 during this period.

The man, aged 41, admitted the offence when he appeared at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on Thursday, September 28.

The court's procurator fiscal depute explained how the accused man was caught with the recording equipment, which he used within the home he resided in at the time with along with his wife and teenage son and daughter.

They told the court how the man's daughter, who had access to his Amazon account, had become concerned when she noticed he had purchased what looked like a small spy camera.

Her suspicion was heightened when she noted her dad's behaviour appeared odd when anyone used the shower.

It was added that she also noticed that she saw her father entering the bathroom but not using the facilites on occasions and that he had been spotted holding a USB stick.

His daughter, and brother, then planned to investigate the suspicions further. The man's son feigned illness one day so that he could remain home in an attempt to find the camera.

He then found the equipment hidden within a wardrobe in the accused's bedroom.

Following the discovery his daughter then informed staff at the school she attended of her fears that her father was recording her - and became distressed.

The man and his wife, the complainer in the case, then attended the school after being informed of their daughter's distress.

At this stage, the complainer said she was aware of this camera but believed it was being used for protection of her husband's car. Police later attended the school, where the accused was arrested.

Following this, a search warrant was obtained, a search of the family home was carried out and various items including the camera were then taken.

Amongst these items was an image which showed an unidentified person in the bathroom.

Upon being interviewed by police following this, the accused stated to police that he had used camera to watch his wife in the shower “for banter”.

The court heard that, although he had placed the camera in the bathroom to record his wife, in that time he had recorded his daughter.

The man's defence solicitor then requested that sentence was delayed following his guilty plea so that reports could be completed.

Sheriff Murdoch Mactaggart agreed and deferred sentence until a later date. The man was granted bail.

In the meantime he was added to the the sex offenders register.