A pervert who secretly filmed hundreds of women was finally caught after he filmed a woman in the changing rooms of a swimming pool.
David Walker, 48, of Warwick Road, St Albans, was recording the naked mother in the neighbouring unisex room at Hatfield Swim Centre when she noticed his hand and a tiny camera lens on the floor in May last year.
The woman, who had been swimming with her husband and seven month old son, stood on the hand prompting Walker to pull the camera away and leave, St Albans magistrates’ court heard on Friday (29).
The woman raised the alarm and her husband took down Walker’s car registration number.
Police later visited Walker at his Marshalswick home where they discovered a mixture of 300 images and videos on his computer dating back to January 1, 2014. Twenty-three videos were of women getting dressed and undressed at the pool.
Prosecutor Michael Gallacher: “He had put a camera in a bag and had taken pictures up ladies’ skirts.”
In a victim personal statement the woman said: “I am left feeling angry, shocked and violated. I do not expect to go swimming with my family and for this to happen.”
Walker pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to two charges of voyeurism. One related to the mother in the changing room on May 9 2015 and the other represented the 300 images.
He was of previous good character.
Rubin Italia, defending, said the 300 images found by the police had either been deleted by Walker or put in the computer recycle bin. He said the majority of the images were of clothed women around swimming pools.
Mr Italia said the case had put a strain on Walker’s nearly 20 year relationship with his partner, who had written a letter to the magistrates.
Since his arrest last year, he said Walker had sought help from his GP, counsellors and was waiting for an appointment with the Portman Clinic in London. “He has psychological issues that need to be addressed,” he said.
Magistrates sentenced Walker to a three year community order with a condition that he attends 27 sessions on the Thames Valley Sex Offender programme.
He must pay the victim £500 compensation, £85 costs and a victim surcharge of £60. In addition Walker must register as a Sex Offender for 5 years
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