A businessman has been spared prison after admitting filming up women’s skirts in supermarkets and making indecent images of children.

Timothy Church, of Whitton Church Lane, Ipswich, pleaded guilty at Ipswich Crown Court to two charges outraging public decency and four indecent child images offences.

The 47-year-old also admitted two further accusations of possessing 726 images of extreme pornography involving animals.

Three other charges – one of possessing extreme pornography and two of making indecent images of children – were withdrawn.

Prosecutor Michael Crimp said there were 64 still images and 18 moving images on Church’s electronic devices which were taken under the skirts of women.

These were taken on a mobile phone which had been put in a shopping basket.

The court later heard that on one of the images Church could be heard describing how such photos could be taken.

Mr Crimp said something like 1,500 child porn images were found on various devices after police carried out a search warrant at the company director’s home in October last year.

However, some of these were duplicated.

There were 147 unique images of children at Level A – the most serious category. There were also 197 unique images at Level B and 323 at Level C – the least serious grading.

Eight different moving images of child pornography were found.

The court was told Church had no previous convictions.

Karim Khalil, mitigating, said of Church: “He has presented himself as a model citizen.”

Mr Khalil explained that Church had psychological issues and had sought counselling almost immediately after his arrest.

Referring to the filming of women Mr Khalil said: “It was very short lived. On many occasions the films were deleted, and deleted within minutes of being taken.

“It is a straightforward psychological matter.”

The court was told the consequences of an immediate custodial sentence would be severe, not only for Church, but for others including those who worked for him.

Mr Khalil added: “He accepts what he did was entirely wrong.”

Judge John Devaux said none of the victims of Church’s filming have been identified.

Church was sentenced to 14 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months. He was also ordered to undertake 120 hours of unpaid work.

Church was told he must pay £1,200 costs and must register as sex offender for 10 years. A 10-year sexual harm prevention order was also made.