Description
A serial voyeur caught filming hundreds of men using public toilets has walked free from court after being given 'a last chance'.
Adrian Grace, from Salford, has a 'string' of previous convictions for the same offence and had been issued an anti-social behaviour order (ASBO) 10 years ago following one of his voyeurism convictions.
However Manchester Crown Court heard the 54-year-old carried on regardless as he 'could not control himself'. He was caught with hundreds of videos on his phone he had recorded in public toilets.
Prosecuting, Tobias Collins described Grace as a 'known sex offender' who 'takes pictures and videos of men using the toilet without their consent'. His latest conviction follows an incident that unfolded last December 8 at Manchester Airport.
Mr Collins said Grace entered the toilets at Terminal 2 arrivals at around 11am that day with two mobile phones.
The court heard Grace positioned himself in a cubicle, waited for someone to arrive in one of the next cubicles, before placing his phone underneath the dividing wall to record his victims, the Manchester Evening News reports.
One of his victims noticed the phone and asked Grace 'are you taking pictures of me?', to which Grace replied 'no I'm not', Mr Collins said. The court heard Grace moved into a different cubicle while his victim 'searched the immediate surroundings' in a bid to find the offender.
After being unable to find Grace, the victim contacted the police, who arrested Grace at the scene and confiscated his phones. Mr Collins said officers examined the phones for evidence before finding 'hundreds of videos taken by the defendant in public places', dating between January 2019 and the day of his arrest.
Grace was arrested again at Manchester Airport on May 15 this year, at around 7.10am, for a further offence of voyeurism carried out while on bail. Mr Collins said the defendant admitted his offences to police. He said: "[Grace] explained he had gotten drunk on the evening of December 7 with a friend. He carried on drinking and was not sure how he got to the airport."
The court heard Grace told police he carried out the offences 'for his own sexual gratification' and that he 'knew what he was doing was wrong'. Mr Collins told the court Grace 'felt disgusted by himself' and that he 'could not control himself'. "This was for his own gratification and he watched the videos afterwards," he said. Mr Collins said that of the videos found on Grace's phone, 'hundreds' were shot at Manchester Airport, while a small number were filmed on trips to Romania and Belgium.
A statement from one of Grace's victims, read by Mr Collins, said: "I will now feel nervous and have to check the toilets every time I use them. I will be very wary from now on. I don't know who this person is." The victim added: "It's very disturbing that this person could have intimate photos of me which he has no right to have."
Grace admitted three offences of voyeurism at Manchester Magistrates Court on May 16, dating between January 23, 2019, and May 15 this year, before his case was moved to Manchester Crown Court. The court heard Grace had eight previous convictions following 14 offences. They included two voyeurism convictions in 2007, one in October 2013 when he was issued an ASBO related to his behaviour, and further convictions in November 2014 and May 2018. Mr Collins said 'all these cases' involved Grace entering public bathrooms and recording people.
Reflecting on Grace's criminal past, defence counsel Hannah Forsyth told His Honour Judge Field KC: "The defendant could have no complaint if your honour were minded to sentence him to custody." She explained how her client had sought counselling and psychotherapy since being released on bail at a previous court appearance, while he works two jobs and volunteers at a soup kitchen. She also handed Judge Field KC a handwritten letter from her client, which he read silently in court. The judge admitted Grace's latest offending followed 'a string of previous convictions for the same offence' and breached his ASBO.
He described Grace, of Fram Street, Salford, as a voyeur who 'does not appear to respect the privacy of fellow human beings' and someone who 'does not appear to understand the seriousness of court orders'. But the judge praised the 'positive steps' Grace had been taking since his previous court appearance, and suggested there was a 'reasonable prospect of rehabilitation' for him.
Grace, wearing a grey suit with red tie and his short hair spiked up, wept as he told the judge 'thank you' after being told he would not be going to prison today. Judge Field KC told the court there were '400 videos on the phone' and reflecting on Grace's previous convictions, he said: "There are far too many of them." "This must be regarded as your last chance," said Judge Field KC. "All of the offences that you committed were in some way using a mobile telephone to take pictures and videos of men using public toilets, all for your own gratification."
The judge added: "I have to have regard to the fact that since I released you on bail you have taken positive steps to address your offensive behaviour because, quite frankly Mr Grace, it has got to stop - and it has got to stop here." Grace replied: "I know, your honour." Judge Field KC continued: "I hope you do, because I repeat: this is your last chance." He issued Grace with a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.
Grace must also attend an accredited programme for sex offenders and 30 rehabilitation days. He will sign the sex offenders' register for seven years and was issued a new sexual harm prevention order banning him from airports, except for pre-arranged travel, and with restrictions on being able to use devices.
Grace was also ordered to pay costs of £510 and required to be monitored for alcohol abstinence for 60 days. As he told Grace he was free to leave, Judge Field KC said: "I sincerely hope that we never meet again, at least not in these circumstances."