A sex offender who was caught using his mobile phone to film up a woman’s skirt has been jailed.
Adam George-Wood was detained by a security guard at Tesco Extra in Beeston when he was spotted acting suspiciously by another customer.
The customer became suspicious when he saw George-Wood carrying a shopping basket containing an upturned mobile phone immediately below the line of the victim’s skirt.
He immediately alerted the victim and challenged George-Wood, who was detained by the store security guard and later arrested by police.
George-Wood, aged 41, declined to comment in his first police interview but later admitted to the offence in a prepared statement in which he also admitted to numerous other similar offences – some involving a spy camera concealed in his shoelaces.
Police later found more than 100 similar videos on his electronic devices that had been filmed in a variety of locations, including on public transport.
George-Wood, of Herald Close, Beeston, expressed remorse for what he had done and later pleaded guilty to three counts of recording an image under clothing to observe another without consent.
The charges covered multiple instances against different women between July and 21 September 2019, the day he was caught and arrested.
Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday morning he was jailed for six months. He was also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order that will tightly restrict his activities when he is released.
He was also placed on the sex offenders’ register for ten years.
Detective Constable Laura Gray, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Upskirting is a disgusting invasion of somebody’s privacy and can be an incredibly distressing offence for a victim.
“George-Wood showed a brazen disregard for his victims as he collected a large collection of invasive videos – all filmed without the consent or knowledge of his victims.
“Had he not been challenged when he was I have no doubt that his offending would have continued.
“For that reason I would like to commend the actions of the staff and security guard who originally helped to detain George-Wood and bring his offending to an end.
“I would urge any other women who fear they may have been the victim of up skirting to come forward and tell the police. We will investigate and we will take very firm action against perpetrators if we can.”
