Man peeped up shoppers' skirts in Telford, court hears
A graphic designer preyed on 16 women by filming up their skirts while they were out shopping, a court heard.
Tony Russell put a camera phone in either a trolley or a basket and crept up on the shoppers during two trips to TK Maxx in Telford, Shrewsbury Crown Court heard yesterday.
The 38-year-old was only caught after shop staff became suspicious of his behaviour after watching the store's CCTV.
The court also heard how Russell was "completely embarrassed and ashamed" by his behaviour. He admitted two counts of an act of outraging public decency between March 18 and June 5, 2014 during a hearing yesterday.
Mr Kevin Jones, prosecuting said: "The videos are about 30 seconds long and are of women in a retail premises, who are wearing skirts.
"None of these females gave their consent, but no inquiries about these incidents have been made by the victims.
"Staff discovered what the defendant was doing after seeing some strange activity on the CCTV footage."
Judge Peter Barrie handed Russell, of Evans Court, Wolverhampton, a three-year community order and ordered him to attend a credited sex offender programme.
During the trail the court heard how Russell carried out the offences while he was in a relationship with a woman, which he now hopes to "re-kindle".
Mr Stephen Cadwaladr, for Russell, said: "Rarely has a man felt so much embarrassment and shame as Mr Russell feels sitting in the court."
"He had been in a relationship with a lady, who had no idea he was carrying out this activity. When she found out, the relationship ended and he moved out.
"He is living in sheltered accommodation in a different town, hoping that once the dust settles he can re-kindle what was once a fairly happy relationship with a long future ahead."
The court also heard how Russell only shared the videos, which lasted around 30 seconds, between email accounts used by himself.
Judge Barrie concluded that none of the women were harmed when Russell carried out the offence, and therefore did not feel the need to hand him a sexual prevention order.
However Russell has not been given back his phone or computer, which contains the videos until the Judge is happy they have permanently been erased.
This will be decided at a hearing on July 24.
If the court is happy there is no way Russell can retrieve the videos he will get his equipment back, if not both items will be destroyed.
He was also ordered to pay back £535 in court fees within the next three months.
