A SERIAL peeping Tom who has been jailed for looking over cubicles at women using public lavatories is back before the courts.

Haben Mihretab, who has five previous convictions for voyeurism, was caught after committing his latest offence in the toilets at the Fishergate shopping centre in Preston.

Blackburn magistrates heard the offence put Mihretab in breach of a sexual offences prevention order imposed last year. And he was also in breach of registration requirements by not telling police where he was living.

Mihretab, 22, of Heatley Close, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to breaching the Sexual Harm Prevention Order imposed by Burnley Crown Court in July, failing to comply with registration requirements and observing a person doing a private act.

He was committed in custody to Burnley Crown Court to be sentenced on April 10.

Tracy Yates, prosecuting, said the latest offences was committed in the toilets on the lower level of the Fishergate Centre on Friday at about 3.10pm.

The witness was wearing a jump suit and had to remove it before using the toilet.

"When she sat down she described a feeling of being watched and looked up to see the defendant staring at her," said Mrs Yates.

"She screamed what was he doing. He carried on staring at her as he said he was really sorry."

Mihretab disappeared from view and the victim pulled her clothing on and rushed out to raise the alarm.

A male matching the description was later seen on the railway station across the road but the defendant was not arrested until the following day.

Mrs Yates said CCTV showed Mihretab loitering outside the women's toilets before entering at 2.41pm and remaining in the toilets until 3.19pm.

"During this time 68 females entered the toilets," said Mrs Yates. "Some of them were young children, clearly under the age of 18."

Mrs Yates said Mihretab had three previous convictions for five offences. In September 2017 he was jailed for two offences of voyeurism in the toilets at Wigan train station and one in the toilets of the Moon Under The Water in Wigan.

He received another custodial sentence for voyeurism in August 2018 after being caught looking over the cubicle in the ladies toilets at the bowling alley in the Vue cinema in Blackburn. In July he was again jailed for looking over the toilets in the Tesco store in Accrington.

"He continues to commit like offences, despite being subject to the sexual harm prevention order and being under the supervision of the probation service," said Mrs Yates.

Sean Finnegan, defending, said Mihretab came to the UK from Eritrea and successfully applied for asylum because of the threat of persecution by his own government. He said Mihretab had come to the country without his family and had few friends.

"He lives a lonely life but his behaviour is abhorrent and an extreme invasion of ladies' privacy," said Mr Finnegan.

"He is actually embarrassed and regrets his actions."

Mr Finnegan said he agreed the case was aggravated by his client's previous convictions and was too serious for the magistrates to deal with.

"I won't be making a bail application," said Mr Finnegan.

"He understands he is facing a lengthy sentence and he wants to start that sentence today."