December 2008

Paedophile took photos of girls at shopping centre

A paedophile who was caught by a mum taking photos of her daughter and other young girls at Cribbs Causeway has walked out of court with a suspended prison sentence.

Peter Burge hid a digital camera in his clothing and was secretly taking snaps of children when he was spotted and reported to police, Bristol Crown Court heard.

When officers searched Burge’s former home in Tamar Road, Weston-super-Mare, they seized twolaptop computers that contained 252 lewd images and video clips of children.

Burge, 33, who moved out of his family home in Weston when the images came to light and now lives in Bristol Road, Bridgwater, told police he had a fetish for females in boots.

He said he was interested in girls aged from six to middle-aged women, who he had snapped from behind going up escalators.

He later admitted seven charges of making an indecent photograph or pseudo photograph of a child and was handed a 20-week prison sentence, suspended for two years.

He was told he will be supervised for two years with the condition he attends a sex offender programme.

He will also be on the Sex Offenders Register for seven years and was made subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order restricting his access to children until further order.

Julian Howells, prosecuting at Bristol Crown Court, said Burge had been looking at sexual images of girls for four years before he was caught at Cribbs Causeway photographing children on March 26 this year.

Paul Grumbar, defending, said his client knew he had a problem but thought he would be reported if he sought help.