A WOMAN changing after swimming bent to dry her feet and saw a man looking under the cubicle divide.

Blackburn magistrates heard the 25-year-old teaching assistant described the incident as ‘disgusting’ and said it had left her frightened to go to the pool on her own.

And she said she was angry the defendant had forced her to relive the degrading incident by giving evidence in court.

Dean David Devaney, 29, of Marsh House Lane, Darwen, pleaded guilty to a charge of voyeurism.

He also pleaded guilty to assaulting a taxi driver and assaulting his ex-partner, an offence committed after he had been made subject to a suspended prison sentence order.

He was sentenced to a total of 26 weeks in custody.

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said the teaching assistant had been swimming at Darwen Leisure Centre and after showering went to the unisex changing rooms.

“She had taken off her swimming costume and was bending down to dry her legs when she saw a man’s face at the gap under the cubicle divide,” said Miss Allan.

The taxi driver was attacked after picking up Devaney and another man in Blackburn town centre.

One of the men started messing with the handbrake and the driver eventually stopped and told them to get out. They refused and then started to punch the driver.

“He got out of his own vehicle and ran off because he was scared of what was going to happen to him,” said Miss Allan.