‘Disgusting’ Huddersfield toilet pervert hid mobile phone to record women
A disgusting pervert who hid his mobile phone in a toilet area so he could record unsuspecting women has been given a two-year community order which includes a sex offender programme.
Huddersfield man Dale Simpson, 32, admitted four charges of voyeurism relating to his shocking activities, but his barrister Robin Frieze said his client was still “in the denial stage” when it came to talking about what he had done.
Simpson’s sickening behaviour came to light when a woman found the mobile phone near to a toilet brush in the corner of the room at a premises in the Brighouse area.
Prosecutor Rebecca Young told Bradford Crown Court today (Fri) that the device had been recording for over 20 minutes.
When the footage was watched Simpson could be seen setting up the phone, placing it in the corner and walking away.
In a victim impact statement the woman said she felt “upset and violated” and when police attended at Simpson’s home they seized other devices which had recordings of other women.
Miss Young said two other women were identified and one of them said she felt “sick to the stomach” when she was told about the footage.
The third woman said she felt “violated and disgusted” and the crime had been a complete breach of privacy.
Miss Young said there were several other women recorded, but they had not been identified.
The court heard Simpson, of Hammond Street, Fartown, had previous convictions for offences including assault, robbery and drug dealing.
Miss Young explained that the sentencing guidelines suggested a starting point of a high level community order with a range of a medium level community order to six weeks in prison for a single offence.
Recorder Anthony Hawks said Simpson deserved to go to prison for a short period of time, but that would achieve nothing.
Instead he imposed the two-year community order which included a requirement to take part in an accredited sex offender programme.
Recorder Hawks said Simpson had the decency to plead guilty, but his motives for doing what he did would have to be explored.
“You decided to film women using a lavatory,” said the judge.
“I don’t know what you thought you were doing.
“I can’t think of anything more disgusting and you’ve heard what those women felt when they found out you were doing that. You must have had some perverted sexual motive in doing it.”
Recorder Hawks said Simpson, who must also comply with a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement, was told he would have to discuss why he committed the offences and what he was going to do to stop himself doing it in the future.
Simpson will also have to sign on with the police as a sex offender for the next five years.
“I hope that you’ve got the good sens to cooperate with this order because these offences are quite troubling and your attitude in completely denying them, though you pleaded guilty, is also troubling,” the judge told Simpson.
“You’re going to find it uncomfortable. Well that’s your fault for committing these offences in the first place.”
