A MAN who took hundreds of pictures up women's skirts without them noticing has avoided jail.

John Paul Garland was caught with images he had taken on his mobile phone in public places across Glasgow.

The 51-year-old took pictures and videos of women’s buttocks and up their skirts while on escalators, public transport and even at a wedding.

His behaviour was only exposed after his partner’s son-in-law found a video of a woman being unknowingly followed by Garland on his home computer.

Garland, of Glenhave Road, Cumbernauld, was residing with the two witnesses between January and June, 2013, when the incidents took place.

While using a computer owned by Garland, the male resident noticed an application open showing a video of a woman being followed while the camera zoomed in on her buttocks.

The video had been downloaded from a Nokia Lumia device, which Garland was known to own.

The male immediately took the findings to his mother-in-law who confronted her partner when he arrived home.

After demanding that he hand over his phone, the pervert then fled the house, pursued by the witnesses until they eventually lost sight of him.

They reported the shocking findings to police who then attended at the address and confiscated various devices used by the suspect including a Nokia Lumia and Sony mobile, PC, laptop and memory card.

On the devices, officers found a stash of files including pictures and videos taken by Garland in places including Buchanan Galleries and Central Station.

A total of 359 files where women are followed while the camera zooms in on their buttocks, including women standing on a escalator, were found.

Over 700 other files taken in restaurants, Subway stations and crowded areas were also uncovered. Garland was seen to be focusing on the women’s buttocks with some faces also visible.

Another 123 files were found that had been filmed on public transport.

There were various files found filming women “upskirt”, several of which showed their underwear without their knowledge, taken on an escalator, in changing rooms and at a wedding.

Officers were able to identify Garland through 16 files which had been filmed over his shoulder, showing his face and jewellery.

It was noted that the women in the files were not aware of being filmed.

Garland appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court for sentencing after pleading guilty to recording an image of genitals, buttocks and underwear of unknown females with the intention of enabling himself or another person to look at the image and to placing a recording device to enable filming underneath the skirts of said females.

His solicitor told the court that his client was “crying out for a community based disposal” and had fully cooperated with police.

It was added that further to the incident, his relationship had broken down but he continues to be employed as a production line operator.

Sheriff Reid concluded that there was a direct alternative to a custodial sentence and ordered Garland to carry out 275 hours of unpaid work within a period of six months.

He will also be under the supervision of the social work department for two years.

Garland has been placed on the Sex Offenders register for a period of five years.