A POLICE officer who secretly recorded women washing and showering in a bathroom with a digital camera has been sacked by his force.

"Secret pervert" Andrew Price left the tiny USB device in a black toiletries bag on a window seal to capture women in what a judge described as a "wicked" act, a court heard last week.

Price pleaded guilty to one charge of voyeurism and a further count of attempted voyeurism at a property in Caldicot.

Judge Patrick Harrington gave him six-month jail terms for each offence to be served concurrently and suspended them for 18 months.

He also ordered Price to complete 200 hours unpaid work.

Dyfed Powys Police said Price was immediately suspended from duty following the criminal allegations against him.

But at a Special Case Hearing of the force, Dyfed Powys Police said “he was found guilty of gross misconduct through discreditable conduct and he was dismissed without notice”.

Newport Crown Court heard last week how one video showed an 18-year-old woman brushing her teeth, while another captured another woman washing her hands.

A third video recorded a woman taking a shower for more than seven minutes.

The clip examined by police showed "full frontal" images of the woman naked besides a towel wrapped round her head.

A police investigation later revealed he had searched pornography online and search terms indicated he had an interest in "young girls", prosecutor Hywel Hughes told the court.

The 52-year-old, of Bettws, Newtown, Powys, will also have to sign on the sex offenders' register for seven years.

Chief Inspector Jon Cummins, of Dyfed Powys Police, said: “While no offences were committed while Mr Price was on policing duty, the crime that was committed contravened the standards of professional conduct expected of a police officer at all times. My thoughts are with the victim and family at this difficult time.”