A RETIRED policeman hid a covert camera in a bathroom thermometer and used it to film a woman having a shower.

Andrew Russel, who was also a community choir manager in his hometown of Peebles, used the miniature device at a property in Edinburgh on August 10, 2014.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard on Thursday how the former police chief inspector filmed the woman without obtaining her permission.

The woman rumbled Russel’s scam and found a storage device which contained footage of her showering.

Russel of Bonnington Road pleaded guilty to voyeurism charges at the court hearing before Sheriff Frank Crowe.

Depute procurator fiscal Kirsty Anderson told the court that when officers arrested Russel, he denied knowing anything about the device.

The court heard that Russel was a former senior cop who had retired from the force.

He started his own company managing choirs, which included InChorus in Peebles and also the Lothian and Borders Police Choir.

Defence advocate Mark Moyer told Sheriff Crowe that the court needed to obtain reports about his character.

He added: “Clearly it is a serious case.” Deferring sentence until April 21, Sheriff Frank Crowe told Russel: “Clearly, I need to get a background report.” Russel no longer has any association with either the police choir or InChorus.