A married man used a mobile phone to take pictures up women’s skirts after the death of his uncle left him clinically depressed, a court heard.

Dad Andrew Archer, 44, followed women at The Brewery shopping centre, in Romford, before pointing the phone up their clothes as a “cry for help”.

Archer, of Homestead Road, Dagenham, appeared at Redbridge Magistrates’ Court on January 19, where he pleaded guilty to one count of outraging public decency.

The decorator is due to be sentenced next month and has been banned from going to Havering while probation reports are produced.

Judge Gary Lucie told him: “This degrades women.

“We want to assess the level of risk you pose to females and your suitability for a community order.

“The court retains powers to send you to crown court.”

The death of Archer’s uncle, with whom he worked, had “hit him really hard”, the court heard.

He was left “disgusted” with himself after taking the indecent photos at the Hobbycraft and HomeSense stores in Romford on January 7.

His solicitor, Robert Block, said: “It is fair to say he is disgusted by his conduct.

“This is completely out of character. Unbeknown to him, he was clinically depressed.

“His uncle died of cancer two or three months ago. This hit him really hard. His work has declined. The effect is that he was in a vaccum.

“His family tried to get him to see a doctor but he refused. It was almost a cry for help.”

Archer is taking medication for depression and is seeing specialists including a counsellor, the court heard.

Mr Block added: “His wife understands that it is his mental health that has caused this.

“The motivation wasn’t in reality sexual.

“It was an act that brought to attention a mental health issue.”

Archer was bailed to return to the magistrates’ court for sentencing on February 9.