17 January 2013 Last updated at 11:51 ET

Aberdeen man admits taking 70,000 photos of women

An Aberdeen man has admitted taking more than 70,000 photos of women walking past his flat.

Oil worker Andrew Lawrence, 45, admitted breach of the peace by taking the shots without their permission for his sexual gratification.

Police uncovered 71,600 images on his laptop and camera when they confronted him following a tip-off.

Sentence was deferred for background reports. Lawrence was placed on the sex offenders register and freed on bail.

The photographs were taken over a two-year period from his St Swithin Street property between August 2009 and June 2011.

Defence agent Liam Mcallister said Lawrence admitted there was a sexual element to the offending.

'Not a threat'

He said: "Over a period of just under two years he took numerous photos of women of various ages.

"He is deeply embarrassed and deeply ashamed of what he has done."

The court heard Lawrence became interested in photography in 2009 when he bought the camera to take on holiday.

He told police in an interview that he then began taking pictures of passers-by and his collection grew from there.

He stressed to officers during interviews that he was not a threat to the women.