A YORK financial adviser took indecent photographs of a girl in her bedroom and bathroom.

Chris Attwooll, prosecuting, said Donald Atkins, 50, told the 15-year-old girl: “He felt attracted to her and always wanted to touch her. He had dreams.”

Six months later, the girl discovered Atkins had made two films of her naked from the waist down as she showered. She had previously twice found the same camera hidden in her bedrom. Atkins could get into her house because he knew her mother.

Judge Chris Burn at York Crown Court said the girl had told detectives Atkins’ crimes had shocked her so much she had failed school exams.

He suspended a 12-month prison sentence for two years on condition that Atkins has two years supervision and undergoes a sex offender treatment programme. The judge said although a probation officer rated him as a “low risk” of reoffending, the course would see if he was a risk to other children.

Det Con Stuart Barnett said: “This was a disturbing and shocking breach of a young woman’s privacy. It took great courage for her to come forward and report her ordeal to the police. We hope today’s outcome gives her some comfort and enables her to rebuild her life.”

Atkins, of Winteringham House, Whitecross Gardens, between Haxby Road and Huntington Road, pleaded guilty to three charges of making indecent photographs of a child. He must pay £800 towards prosecution costs and will be on the sex offenders’ register for ten years. He is also contributing to his defence costs.

Atkins worked with major insurance companies before taking up his current job with a York-based firm. In his LinkedIn profile, he describes himself as a “wealth manager” who has built up a client portfolio based on a service of “trust and honesty”. He also served about 20 years in the Army.

When press photographers took his picture as he approached court to be sentenced, he accused them of “invading his privacy”.

His barrister, Taryn Turner, said he had been suspended from his current job since he was charged and was likely to lose it.

“He has to face shame and humiliation in coming to terms with what he has done,” she said. “That has taken some time. There is still misguided thinking.”

In particular, he found it very difficult to accept that he had done what he did for sexual gratification or interest.