Voyeur admits filming women using changing rooms

AN ENGINEER could face jail after spying on women getting changed at a leisure centre in Sheffield.

Neil Smith, 57, was caught after a woman spotted a camera poking under a cubicle while she changed with her five-year-old son at Hillsborough Leisure Centre in August this year.

When police swooped they found that Smith, from Rotherham, had a specially adapted coat with a plastic ruler and tape to keep his video camera steady as he caught his victims on film.

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And when detectives later searched his home they discovered various computer storage devices containing video clips of unsuspecting women in places including changing rooms and beaches.

Smith, who pleaded guilty to a charge of voyeurism, could now face jail after Sheffield magistrates adjourned the case and sent it to Sheffield Crown Court for sentencing.

Stephen Acaster, prosecuting, said the horrified woman confronted Smith after seeing a video camera being "twisted and turned for the best view" from beneath the cubicle.

He said: "Police were called and uncovered a peeping Tom's tool kit when they searched the plastic bag.

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"They recovered a jacket, down the sleeve of which was a 30cm plastic ruler that was attached with elastic bands to a video recorder.

"A further plastic bag was found, along with batteries, a partly-used bottle of lubricant and a vibrating device. It also contained a used swimming costume, a mirror and a camera case."

A search of Smith's current address in Old Town, Barnsley, uncovered data storage devices containing video footage of numerous female victims.

Mr Acaster said that there were no indecent images of children but a large number of pictures and video files of women.

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He added: "Investigating officers were concerned about the sophisticated nature of the defendant's activities and the planning involved in his offence."

Smith admitted a charge of voyeurism and his case was committed to Sheffield Crown Court for sentencing on January 10.

Mr Acaster revealed that Smith had been arrested on a previous occasion in August 2004, when he was caught in cubicles at Doncaster Leisure Centre.

He said: "He was looking through a hole on the cubicle watching a woman get changed. He was stopped by a leisure centre manager and handed to police."