Melbourne, Sep 2 (IANS) A 42-year-old man's 'moment of madness', which made him photograph under a woman's skirt using his mobile phone at a Melbourne store, has led him to prison.

A county court heard Thursday that Anthony Maguire had run after the woman as she boarded an escalator in the Southland Shopping Centre. He positioned his phone under her skirt to photograph her buttocks and underpants before the woman turned and saw the image on his phone, The Age reported.

The woman reported the incident to security staff who got Maguire's car registration number before police searched his house.

Maguire pleaded guilty to one charge of 'upskirting', but appealed his one-month jail sentence.

Maguire's defence counsel Robert Devolle said the man had no explanation for the offence other than a 'moment of madness'. He felt 'genuine sorrow for this poor woman' and was remorseful and embarrassed.

Meanwhile, Maguire's wife said she was 'saddened, irritated and annoyed' by her husband's behaviour and their marriage now 'hangs in the balance'.