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A CREEP who filmed young girls from behind without their knowledge or permission at Greenock's Oak Mall was yesterday spared a jail sentence for the 'extremely disturbing' crime.

Stewart Stenhouse - now on the Sex Offenders Register - was snared in the shopping centre after a shocked witness watched him follow a group of children and record them on his mobile phone.

The 44-year-old pleaded guilty to the breach of the peace offence prior to being sentenced at Greenock Sheriff Court.

A sheriff declared that the 'extremely disturbing' video Stenhouse had captured had a 'significant sexual element' to it.

Sheriff James Varney told Stenhouse yesterday: "I reviewed the footage in this case, which was extremely disturbing."

However, a community payback order was imposed as a direct alternative to a custodial term.

Lawyer Ellen Macdonald told the sentencing hearing: "He appears to have insight into this offending and into the fact that it would have had an impact on the girls that were involved."

The court previously heard how Stenhouse targeted four young females in the mall and videoed them without their knowledge or permission on June 17 last year.

A prosecutor said his actions raised 'extreme alarm' and suspicion among other people in the centre and an eyewitness saw Stenhouse following the group of ‘young girls’ at around 3.15pm.

Procurator fiscal depute Pamela Brady said: “The accused was walking behind them and was videoing the girls on his phone.

“He had followed them for several metres with his phone at stomach level.

“The witness was extremely alarmed by what he saw and notified security staff.

“He was immediately of the opinion that the accused was videoing the young girls for sexual gratification.”

Following intervention from the witness, Stenhouse attempted to ‘run away’, the court was told.

He eventually admitted his actions to security staff, who then contacted police.

Stenhouse was later arrested by officers who had reviewed CCTV footage from inside the centre.

He replied ‘no comment’ after being charged.

Prosecutor Mrs Brady explained that the footage on his phone captured between the girls’ knees and waists.

The fiscal depute added: “The Crown position is that there was a sexual element to this behaviour.”

He eventually admitted his actions to security staff, who then contacted police.

Stenhouse was later arrested by officers who had reviewed CCTV footage from inside the centre.

He replied ‘no comment’ after being charged.

Prosecutor Mrs Brady explained that the footage on his phone captured between the girls’ knees and waists.

The fiscal depute added: “The Crown position is that there was a sexual element to this behaviour.”

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A nurse at a mental health unit who embarked on a sexual relationship with a patient avoided jail today.

Jill McLaren, 37, had secret trysts with the man she knew from the secure clinic in Glasgow where she worked. This included her taking him to her home under the guise of an escorted Christmas shopping trip.

McLaren pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual activity with the man as she appeared in the dock at Glasgow Sheriff Court.

The crime spanned between July 2018 and September 2019.

Prosecutors accepted not guilty pleas to similar allegations that she was involved with two other patients at the unit.

McLaren, of Greenock, Inverclyde, was ordered to do 180 hours of unpaid work and put under supervision for 18 months. She was also tagged for five months keeping her indoors between 9pm and 6am between Sundays and Fridays.

Sheriff Gerard Considine further stated that the restriction of liberty order will not apply on a Saturday, Christmas Day or New Year's Eve as McLaren is a mum-of-two.

The sheriff said: "There is no doubt this was a gross breach of trust. The law protects people suffering from mental disorders - such conduct was wrong.

"You used a false name to contact him which is an aggravating feature as was the location and the time involved.

"I accept that you have shown remorse and understand such relationships with someone with a mental disorder is unlawful.

"The deterioration in his mental health was significant at the end of the relationship.

"At the time your own mental health was fragile and have since been diagnosed.

"This was such that you should not have been working with people with complex mental needs with your own needs at the time.

"You have been publicly humiliated."

McLaren was also put on the sex offenders register for 18 months.

The court earlier heard how the nurse and the man started frequently chatting about their shared love for fitness.

She then told him she started a shift on his ward in order to "see him" and they began to flirt with each other.

Fiscal Lauren Donnelly said: "She went to get chocolates (in the unit) and he followed her. They began kissing in the cupboard."

The pair agreed that if McLaren wished to speak to him outside of the clinic she should use a different name.

The man was woken up by the nurse one evening during a nightshift as she shone a flashlight into his face. They again went on to kiss before she carried out a sex act in his bedroom.

The court heard McLaren also bought a birthday card for the man.

It read: "Have a great day, wish I could speak to you, half love you ha ha xx".

McLaren went on to go with him on an outing for him to apparently buy Christmas gifts.

But, they instead ended up at her house where further sexual contact occurred.

The man's mother became suspicious of a relationship between the pair and was worried for her son. However, she did not report the matter as there was a possibility he would be moved to a less secure unit.

McLaren left her permanent post at the unit in August 2019 to start another role.

But, she still took several shifts at the clinic and, during one, an argument took place after McLaren suddenly ended the relationship.

However, McLaren later sent another card to the man with "I miss you" written on the front.

The message inside read: "I miss you like crazy. I'm sorry I can't be the one to make you happy. I'm sorry about anything hurtful that I have said, please don't think that I didn't love you, I'm pining after you and it hurts so much."

A staff nurse at the unit later received a phone call asking for the man and recognised McLaren's voice.

Miss Donnelly said: "She became suspicious of this and hit re-dial and recognised the number.

"She checked this against the number of the staff and it matched the one held by McLaren."

The man's mental health deteriorated after he was made aware that the staff knew about the relationship. He later confessed to his lawyer and staff at the unit about what was going on.

McLaren ended up being arrested, but made no comment at the time.

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A PREDATOR locked up last year for historical sex abuse against children while working at a Greenock Christian mission has been struck off the care register.

Andrew Ward's crimes were branded 'heinous' by a sheriff last July after he was convicted of preying on young boys over a period of eight years.

The 53-year-old sex offender was sentenced to 36 months behind bars for indecent assault and using lewd, indecent and libidinous practices and behaviour towards his victims when they were aged between nine and 15.

He used his position and influence over the young boys to sexually abuse them whilst he was an adult volunteer at the Barnard's Court Mission in the east end of Greenock.

The Telegraph previously reported that Ward repeatedly molested and performed disgusting acts on the youngsters between 1986 and 1994.

His traumatised and emotional victims gave harrowing evidence during a four-day trial of how Ward targeted them in places including a common close and onboard a minibus.

A sentencing hearing at Greenock Sheriff Court was told how Ward's wife, who has a child with him, separated from him after he was charged by police.

A defence advocate asked Sheriff Michael Higgins to place 'some weight' on Ward's own age of between 17 and 25 when he committed the offences, adding: "He went on to live a productive life and contributed greatly to the local community."

This week, the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) published a report confirming Ward - who also worked in a local care home - has been removed from the care register.

The SSSC found his fitness to practise is impaired because his actions 'represent conduct which is fundamentally incompatible with the principles of the social services profession and professional registration'.

The report on the decision on Ward states: "Your conduct is extremely serious and constitutes a gross breach of trust.

"There are ongoing public protection concerns as the behaviour is of an extreme nature.

"There is no evidence of any remediation from you.

"Conduct of this nature raises serious and fundamental questions about your values and there is a risk that this behaviour may be repeated in the future."

Greenock Sheriff Court was told last year that Ward had shown 'no insight' into his offending behaviour and that his attitude about what he had done was 'poor', having branded his victims 'evil liars'.

A jury took just 35 minutes to convict him and he was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.

The SSSC report adds: "Your actions exposed the children concerned to serious risk of physical, emotional and psychological harm.

"You were older than each of the children concerned and in more than one instance, were a legal adult.

"There was therefore a presumption of trust and your conduct represents a gross abuse of this.

"Your behaviour amounts to a pattern of conduct over a significant period of time."

The SSSC panel considered that no other sanctions were appropriate and imposed a removal order on Ward's registration, which came into effect on Thursday.

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