A 22-YEAR-OLD Wordsley man who took indecent photographs of a girl he had a "secret passion" for while she was sleeping has avoided jail.

The shocked girl later discovered the photographs on a computer where they had been downloaded by Anthony Hewitt - Paul Reid, prosecuting, told Wolverhampton Crown Court.

He said the victim discovered ten images of herself and she was clearly extremely upset by the actions of Hewitt.

Mr Reid said Hewitt, who works for an upholstery firm, had used his mobile telephone to take the photographs after developing a "passion" for the girl.

Hewitt, of Bells Lane, admitted voyeurism and he was given a three-year Community Order with a condition that he attends the Sex Offenders Group programme.

Judge Nicholas Webb told him: "It seems to me you need help and, if you do not benefit from it, you will be back before the court."

The Judge said they way Hewitt dealt with his secret crush for the girl was "worrying" adding: "Voyeurism comes in different shapes and forms.

"This offence is on the borderline between the least serious offence and the middle of the ladder.”

The judge said: “Your secret passion extended simply to you looking at these images yourself." But he ruled the offending was a serious invasion of the girl’s privacy and he ordered Hewitt to pay £185 costs.

Amanda Tompkins, defending Hewitt, said he accepted there was an element of sexual gratification in his offending but stressed: "The images were not shown to anyone else."

Hewitt denied a further charge of sexual assault and his plea to that offence was accepted by the prosecution.