A MAN caught filming women's bottoms in York city centre has been banned indefinitely from carrying a camera in public - anywhere in England or Wales.

Andrew Mackie, 33, now faces up to five years in jail if he repeats his actions of August 6, when - at the height of last summer's heat wave - he roamed York Railway Station, the city's shopping centre and Museum Gardens, video recorder in hand.

York magistrates saw the 24-minute film he made, in which the camera repeatedly focused on women out shopping or visiting the city, and tracked their bottoms as they walked away from him.

Occasionally, it filmed underwear showing above the women's waistbands, and once the camera zoomed in between the legs of a woman sitting on grass, unaware of his actions.

Prosecutor David Tucker said that none of the women consented to the filming, and that Mackie also made written notes such as "brown mini skirt, white knickers" and "grey skirt, black knickers".

His filming ended when he fled from police, alerted by shop security staff. Officers found him hiding in a restaurant's toilets.

After reading that a probation officer considered Mackie likely to re-offend, despite him undergoing intensive rehabilitation, magistrates made him subject to a criminal antisocial behaviour order (CRASBO) to protect the public.

The order bans him from possessing any kind of camera including mobile phones or other object capable of making video recordings in public.

"It would be unsafe to set any expiry date on the order," said senior magistrate Penny Curry.

"I understand, but I don't agree with it," Mackie told the Bench after they announced the order and a two-year community rehabilitation order, both imposed for his behaviour. They also ordered the destruction of his video recorder and the film. After the magistrates had left court, he said he would appeal. He is now considering his options.

Unemployed Mackie, of Oxbridge Lane, Stockton-on-Tees, pleaded guilty to a public order offence.

He has previous convictions for similar actions elsewhere in the North of England and for indecent assault and is on the sex offenders' register until June 2006.

His solicitor, Richard Minion, told the court that the order would increase Mackie's sense of isolation and victimisation.

Mackie was making progress in reducing his offending and getting medical help. His problems were connected to the sexual abuse he suffered as a child.

He told the bench that a CRASBO would interfere with Mackie's human rights to freedom of expression.

Updated: 10:33 Thursday, May 27, 2004