Chleo Sunter 37

Description

A registered sex offender put her phone under public toilet cubicles to secretly record men using the loo.

Chleo Sunter, 37, was caught with 790 pictures and 15 videos of men inside toilet cubicles and standing at urinals. She took the photos in the men's loos at an Aldi supermarket and a shopping centre in Middlesbrough, and at Darlington Train Station.

Sunter, previously known as John Leslie Graham, admitted her latest offences at Teesside Crown Court on Wednesday.

She pleaded guilty to two counts of voyeurism; "recording a person doing a private act with the intention that she herself, for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification, would look at the image of this person knowing they did not consent to her recording the act" between January and November 2023. She also admitted six breaches of a sexual harm prevention order.

The sex offender order was given to the defendant after being convicted of sexual assault in 2012, when Sunter was named John Leslie Graham. The offender was also convicted of possession of extreme pornographic images, in 2014.

She has appeared in court since for further breaches of the order - including in 2018 when caught using an alias on a dating site.

Sunter was caught with the material when her sex offender manager turned up at her home in Thornaby, to check she was complying with the court order. Photos and videos of victims using public conveniences near Middlesbrough's Captain Cook Square shopping centre, at a Middlesbrough Aldi; and at Darlington station, were stored on her phone.

Paul Newcombe, prosecuting, told the court: "Some of the males were stood at the urinals. Some were recorded under the cubicles."

On a police visit in November 2023, Sunter wasn't at home, but was found nearby. Police investigators found she had deleted 695 chats, 712 photos, and four videos from the gay dating app, Grindr, the court heard.

Sunter has also been using her phone in incognito mode so that her internet history couldn't be seen. She further breached the terms of the order by resetting her phone to factory settings.

Mitigating, John Nixon said Sunter has a history of alcohol abuse and "no longer has a phone or laptop with internet access." Sunter was remanded into custody eight months ago, after admitting some of the offences at the magistrates' court. Mr Nixon said prison has been an "exceptionally challenging time".

Sunter's barrister asked the judge to consider a court order instead of prison - as if imprisoned would mean she would lose her accommodation and face homelessness when released.

Judge Geoffrey Marson said he was aware of Sunter's mental health difficulties and "particular circumstances, but they have little, or no affect on the offences."

The judge jailed Sunter, of Avon Close, Thornaby, for 26 months, telling her that he accepted she is "emotionally vulnerable and custody will be difficult."