Ex-Shropshire businessman dubbed ‘miserable pervert’ jailed for two years

Mark Blezard, 54, was based in Oswestry when it was discovered that he used hidden cameras in two properties to film women using toilets and a bathroom.

The matters came to light in April 2017 when investigators came across email communications linking him to a Russian sex chat room.

Solicitor advocate Mr Howard Searle, prosecuting, said: “Police were informed that a particular email address was traced to the defendant which was being used to upload images to a Russian website.

"Among the images was one of a young girl coming out of a shower scantily dressed. That was traced to the defendant.”

Further checks led detectives to three laptops containing a collection which included labelled footage of a number of women in a toilet.

The women were traced and he was charged with the voyeurism offences.

There were more than 1,500 still and moving images.

More than 220 of them were in category A, the most extreme.

'Shocked'

One of his victims, who cannot be named for legal reasons, read aloud her impact statement ahead of his sentencing at Shrewsbury Crown Court.

The woman said she was “shocked and furious” by how Blezard breached their trust by invading their privacy, resulting in “life changing” emotional problems for them.

“He is a miserable, pathetic pervert and I hope he suffers”, she told the hearing.

Blezard previously pleaded guilty to 13 counts of voyeurism, four counts of possessing indecent images and three counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child, relating to the chatroom webcam. The offences cover periods from 2008 to 2017.

He was jailed for two years.

Mr Edmund Vickers QC, mitigating for Blezard, said he apologised for his actions.

Blezard, now of Somerset, must serve half of the term before being released on licence with conditions.

He will be subject to sexual harm prevention and police notification orders for 10 years, and a restraining order for five years.