A WEE COUNTY man has admitted secretly filming women and children while in Wee County supermarkets earlier this year.

Ryan Fox made more 50 recordings while prowling around Asda, Tesco and Aldi in Alloa – and even went to the extent of "upskirting" one female.

The case was brought to court earlier this month, where the 32-year-old admitted those offences.

However, it was later revealed that the Alloa man was had previously been convicted of trying to arrange a murder in Sheffield.

The shocking revelation about Fox's criminal background was revealed at Stirling Sheriff Court last week.

On Monday, November 4, he pleaded guilty to breaching the peace by following and filming unsuspecting women and children 51 times in Alloa's Asda and Aldi between January 19 and March 16.

He also admitted one sexual offence by filming up a woman's skirt while she was shopping in Tesco on March 14.

Fox's offending only came to light after he targeted a nine-year-old girl in Asda while she stood alone in the toy section late on the same date.

The youngster – who is the only victim prosecutors were able to identify – noticed Fox approach her with his phone in his hand, and ran to tell her mum.

Security staff were alerted, and although they couldn't find Fox that night, he was spotted back in the shop two days later.

Prosecutor Cheryl Clarke said he "appeared to be recording a child" on his phone at the time, and police were called.

Fox was then arrested and has been in custody since. The shocking catalogue of creepy videos was later discovered on his phones.

Although he pleaded guilty to those two offences on Monday, Fox denied two other charges and went on trial for them in Stirling last week.

These included allegedly being in possession of a bladed item, namely a pair of scissors, in public on March 16.

And another charge alleged he assaulted and brandished a needle at a prison custody officer during "an attempt to escape" Alloa Sheriff Court on March 25.

It was said that he pulled out the needle as he was being led from the court to a vehicle while handcuffed to a female GeoAmey employee – who fell as a result and sustained a severe injury.

Represented by defence agent Virgil Crawford, Fox claimed he had a reasonable excuse for carrying the scissors on March 16, and was therefore innocent of any offence.

That excuse was that his mum had left the four-inch implement at his home that morning after coming to cut a carpet for him.

Fox maintained he didn't have any scissors at his home at the time.

During the trial, Fox's mum was called as a defence witness and backed up her son's version of events.

She also claimed she could remember the exact location that she had left the scissors in her son's flat – an unusual feat of memory which was highlighted by Ms Clarke during cross-examination.

In relation to the other offence, the court heard evidence from numerous GeoAmey employees who dealt with Fox on March 25 when he was brought to Alloa from HMP Barlinnie.

Many of them were baffled as to how an individual in custody was able to be in possession of an EpiPen – the needle that was allegedly brandished at one of their colleagues – without their knowledge.

However, it later emerged that Fox, who is diabetic, wasn't searched during his time at Alloa Sheriff Court – a massive security failure which was highlighted by Mr Crawford.

The solicitor argued his client took out the EpiPen because he needed insulin, and the GeoAmey employee panicked because she was unaware he had the item on him.

Fox himself said the incident came about because the prison custody officer "misunderstood the situation completely".

Jurors retired to decide their verdict on the morning of Friday, November 8.

And after a few hours, they acquitted him by majority of the assault charge.

However, they found Fox guilty of carrying a bladed item in public on March 16.

After the verdicts were delivered, Ms Clarke revealed details of the offences Fox pleaded guilty to on Monday morning – which were not disclosed to the jury until then.

She also said: "He has two previous convictions: one from 2006 at Sheffield Crown Court for wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm, then another from 2007 for solicitation to murder from the same court.

"My understanding is he has a form of lifelong restriction from these convictions and he's on life licence for them."

Many of the jurors appeared visibly surprised when the schedule of previous convictions was read out.

Sheriff Wylie Robertson then deferred sentencing Fox, of Hillside Terrace, until December 11 for the preparation of background reports.

He will remain in custody in the meantime.