A Brighton landlord installed a secret camera in his female tenant’s room and filmed her undressing and having sex.
Lucas Pauling yesterday admitted installing the camera, disguised as a carbon monoxide alarm, and voyeurism when he appeared at Brighton Magistrates Court.
He also pleaded guilty to possessing 1403 manga and anime images depicting child porn.
Prosecuting, Elizabeth Green said Pauling, 33, of St Helen’s Road, put the camera in the young woman’s room in August 2018.
She said: “The defendant messaged her saying he had put a carbon monoxide detector in her room.
“In December, she looked at the detector and pressed the test button and it made no noise and there was no flashing light.
“Then she noticed a wire which she followed and it was connected to a router which had a network camera.
“She looked at a number of the defendant’s images and found many images and videos of herself filmed at various times, naked, partially dressed and engaging in personal grooming and having sex.
“She immediately called the police.”
At interview, Pauling said he had only installed the camera because he was curious, and denied he derived any sexual gratification from it.
The court heard he had no previous convictions.
Pauling was first due to appear at court in September, but did not appear because he was living in Switzerland.
The court was not told why there was such a long delay between the offence being committed and his first court appearance.
District judge Tessa Szagun remanded Pauling on bail, with the condition he sign on daily at Brighton Police Station.
The case was adjourned for sentencing until next year.
