Description
A "risk-taking" voyeur covertly filmed two women in the bath or showering on separate occasions, in one case after entering the victim’s home as a trespasser.
But when Paul Shields tried to repeat the act, the second woman being filmed, with whom he had an “infatuation”, realised a camera phone was being pointed at her from above the bathroom door.
Durham Crown Court was told she shouted at the intruder and the defendant fled, retreating by the way he entered her home, via a landing window and across roofing.
The woman, who had previously been subject of inappropriate remarks by Shields and the recipient of unwanted presents, one of them a vibrator, informed police and the defendant was arrested later that day.
When interviewed, he said he had seen the woman’s bathroom light going on, at 6.20am that day, February 24, and “on impulse” climbed onto her garage roof and into her home, setting his phone to record.
But when she shouted, he said he, “came to his senses” and left.
He told police he had not viewed any footage he might have captured of the woman in the shower and deleted it from his phone, adding that he was “appalled” at what he had done.
Philip Morley, prosecuting, said subsequent police inquiries revealed this had not been an isolated incident.
It emerged that four months earlier he had also sneaked into the same woman's home and did something similar, but on that occasion without being spotted.
Police discovered it by seizing his mobile phone and finding a video of the same woman in the shower.
She confirmed she was completely unaware any footage had been taken on that occasion, in October last year, which was also at about 6.25am.
Mr Morley said in her statement to police, the shocked victim said she was “sickened” after the discovery of the previous footage, of which she had been unaware.
She said she was worried what his motives were as to what he may have done with that footage.
The victim said she was also concerned how many times he had trespassed into her home to carry out, “such a disgusting and intrusive act”.
Mr Morley said examination of the defendant’s computer hard drive revealed there had been a second victim.
A folder was found with another woman’s first name on, followed by five stars.
It was found to contain 20 videos of another woman in the bath or shower.
That victim was identified, and, when informed, she was horrified to be told of the police discovery.
When interviewed about the package of footage from the computer folder the defendant gave police a prepared statement confessing to having, “an interest in voyeurism”, but he initially claimed the footage was taken with the victim’s consent.
Mr Morley said given the woman’s shocked reaction, “that was clearly not the case at all”.
In her victim statement she said she felt "devastated" any man could have done this and feared it would have a huge impact on her mental health, but she added that despite the “great shock”, she would, “fight it”.
The 55-year-old defendant, of Blencathra Way, Chester-le-Street, admitted one count of trespass with intent to commit a sexual offence and 21 of voyeurism, offences committed in Bowburn and Darlington.
Robin Turton, for Shields, said he has nothing similar on his record, and the only other matters were unrelated and of some age.
Mr Turton said the defendant has struggled for most of his life with his mental health and since committing the offences, assessments have pinpointed potential disorders, including ADHD, which may have played a part in his offending.
The defendant has also sought assistance from a charity dealing with sex offenders to address his offending, work he is keen to continue, outlining the remorse he feels.
Despite his issues, Mr Turton said the defendant has held down a good job, which would be at risk if he was to be jailed.
He added: “This is a man for whom there’s a realistic prospect of rehabilitation with the appropriate support network, so he can put this behind him.
“I would argue that notwithstanding these shameful offences, he is someone who can be sentenced in a constructive way rather than with a custodial sentence.”
But Recorder Andrew Dallas said the defendant had admitted 21 separate cases of voyeuristic activity, which he described as, “extraordinary and worrying behaviour”, which both his unwary victims found, “extremely upsetting and shocking”.
Recorder Dallas told the defendant he displayed, “extraordinary risk taking”, on more than one occasion, “to satisfy your sexual interest in voyeurism”.
The Recorder said it was “concerning” the level of risk the defendant was prepared to take in such circumstances and after being arrested it soon emerged it was not, “a one-off.”
He told Shields: “I take the view it’s too serious for anything other than an immediate custodial sentence.”
Imposing a three-year sentence, he made Shields subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and restraining orders relating to both women, indefinitely.
Shields will also be subject to notification as a sex offender, also for life.
Forfeiture and destruction was also ordered for the seized phone and the computer hard drive on which the offending material was recovered by police.