A man who taped mobile phones to the strings of two tennis rackets in a bizarre scheme to film up the skirts of young women’s skirts has been warned he may be jailed.

Filming via a small hole he cut in one of the racket covers, 27 year-old Jake Hemming targeted women entering and leaving Tooting Broadway Underground Station.

The first-time offender, of Queenswood Gardens, Wanstead, pleaded guilty (on July 22) to one count of outraging public decency by behaving in an indecent manner, namely filming up women's skirts with a mobile phone concealed in a tennis racket in Tooting Broadway on November 23 2015.

Sentencing has been adjourned until August 12, but the judge warned Hemmings: “The court may decide the offence is so serious only a sentence of imprisonment can be justified.”

The court was shown a photograph of the racket, which had a mobile phone taped to the strings and then disguised when the cover was placed over the top.

District Judge Barbara Barnes said: "The allegation is that in some way the defendant had rigged a camera to a tennis racket and was taking photographs of individuals, using the racket at an angle up individuals skirts at the tube station.

"When his home address was searched another racket was found similarly set-up to take photos."

Prosecutor Mr. Claudius Taylor-Sonko told the court: "After being seen at the station he was seen filming another girl."

Hemming has been banned from Tooting Broadway until his sentencing, which the probation service asked for more time to prepare a report for because the offence was "sexually motivated."

Hemming's lawyer Mr. Niall Hearty said: "In short, he's found this a difficult period and cannot come up with a proper explanation as to why he committed the offence."

The defendant reported his perversion to his GP, who referred him to a counsellor and Hemming has completed 12 one-hour sessions and booked six more.

"It does seem unusual at this age he's come to the attention of the criminal justice system for this offence," said Judge Barnes. "He's admitted the offence and now has a conviction.”

She told Hemming: "The court sentencing you will need to hear more information on your personal circumstances.

"This offence was some time ago and people will need to know what's happened since and the risk of this happening in the future.

"I've heard from your lawyer that you have already taken steps to help yourself and we will all have to see what happens.

"In the light of the seriousness of your behaviour I've got to impose a condition. You must not enter the Tooting Broadway area.

"These offences are all believed to have been committed in these areas. I've seen the photos and it was a deliberate decision of you to be in Tooting to take photographs.

"I will ask for an all-option report. That means the court may decide the offence is so serious only a sentence of imprisonment can be justified.

"I'm of the view this passes at least into the community order threshold, if not custody."