Police used underwear and a spy camera to trap a woman's harasser.

Daran Gahan was seen on film with his face near two pairs of knickers and a top put on a washing line by officers.

He was captured by the camera on two separate occasions and officers arrested him at his flat after identifying him.

Gahan, 36, of Kings Mews, Hove, denied harassing Vera Kepych at her flat in nearby Norton Road, Hove, last year but was found guilty of harassment by Brighton magistrates yesterday.

He was given a 12-month community rehabilitation order, ordered to stay away from his victim and made the subject of a 12-month restraining order.

Ms Kepych and other residents said they had seen him on the fire escape looking into her bedroom window a number of times.

Andrew Walker, prosecuting, said: "She told police she was very frightened that she might be attacked and raped.

"Officers set up video cameras which recorded him on the fire escape in November and December last year.

"He was seen to handle women's underwear police had put on the line and to put his face close to them."

Catherine Shelley, defending, said Gahan maintained he had gone to the flat to find out if a man he claimed owed him money lived there.

She said he had examined the washing to try to find out if a man or a woman lived in the flat.

Ms Shelley said: "He strongly maintains he is not a pervert and that he did not go knicker-sniffing in any sense of the word.

"He fully expresses his remorse for visiting fear on the woman.

"He said he had not seen her before his trial or since."

The court heard Gahan has a previous conviction for indecent assault. Ms Shelley said it involved him trying to kiss the woman who is now his wife.

The court heard magistrates at his trial in April "did not find credible" his explanation of what he was doing on the fire escape.

After he left court, Gahan said he planned to appeal against his conviction and sentence.

He said: "I am not a pervert who goes around stalking women.

"My wife believes me and is standing by me."

PC Chris Knox, who installed the covert camera which caught Gahan, said his victim had been left traumatised by her experience.