A man has been convicted of harassment after taking 25,000 photos of unsuspecting women and girls, some as young as 14.

Craig Neil Taylor, aged 45, of Royal Park, Ramsey, was found to have taken the photos on his phone, mainly of the lower half of girls and women.

At the Deputy High Bailiff’s court he pleaded guilty to three charges of conduct amounting to harassment after a complaint was made by three teenage girls aged 14, 15 and 17.

Prosecutor Barry Swain told the court how the allegations were ’very much of a voyeuristic nature’.

Many photos were said to show girls in school uniform or women in black tights.

The 25,000 photos were taken between September 2013 and March 2017.

Mr Swain said: ’This involved him taking photos over a long period of time.

’It has been suggested it normally occurs when he goes walking his dog and they then interact with him.

’He took photos of their lower half, concentrating on the legs.

’Some complainants tried to ignore it and only have only recently complained.’

The court heard that, while Taylor had pleaded guilty to the offences, he was going to enter a basis of plea in which he is likely to dispute using his dog to entice the victims.

His advocate Roger Kane asked for a two-week adjournment to prepare the plea and arrange for a psychiatric report.

Mr Kane said: ’These are bizarre offences. There are mental health issues.

’My client has been seeing the Crisis Referral Team since his arrest.

’He would say the photos were not age-specific. There were a lot of mature ladies too. There were uniforms, but it was not age-specific.’

Prosecutor Mr Swain did not object to bail saying: ’They are not the type of photos classed as indecent.

’They were taken in public while fully dressed.

’It seems the interest is black tights or the lower half of the body.’

The case was adjourned until April 11 to allow time for the basis of plea and psychiatric report to be prepared.

Bail was granted in the sum of £500 with conditions that Taylor does not possess equipment capable of recording in public, does not contact the three teenagers, resides at his home address and does not leave the island without the court’s permission.

Taylor was given permission to leave the island between April 1 and 5.

Legal aid was granted subject to proof of income.