Story by Daily Record - Paedophile set up spy cameras to watch teenage girl in the shower and while she got changed
James Closs has been jailed for 18 months after the young woman discovered the devices in an alarm clock and power supply unit. Pervert James Closs at Hamilton Sheriff Court after pleading guilty to spying on a teenage girl in the shower (Image: SAM HARDIE/PRESSTEAM)
A pervert who secretly recorded a teenage girl for almost six years after setting up spy cameras in a bedroom and bathroom has been jailed for 18 months. James Closs, 51, operated the concealed devices from mobile phone apps and recorded hours of invasive footage as the girl showered and changed. The cameras were disguised as an alarm clock and a power supply unit. His horrified victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been filmed without her knowledge or consent since she was aged 11. When the girl was aged 17 she noticed a suspicious device while showering and later discovered a similar item in her bedroom and Closs was reported to police. Closs was sentenced at Hamilton Sheriff Court
A search of Closs’ house revealed memory cards filled with dozens of images and clips of the girl in various states of undress. Closs, of Mothewell, Lanarkshire, appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court and admitted recording the girl and other unknown females and possessing indecent images of her at two addresses in the town between March 2013 and February last year. He has now been sentenced to 18 months in prison and placed on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.
Depute fiscal Jennifer McLaren told the court: “The witness had taken a shower and while there she noticed a light flashing on an item located in the bathroom. “She noticed this to resemble some sort of power charger and further noted it to have a camera lens pointing at the shower. “She took a photograph of the device and searched the brand name on it which showed this item to be a hidden camera disguised as a power bank. “She challenged the accused but he denied it was a hidden camera and said it was a power bank and took it from her possession.”
The court also heard how the girl discovered a second device plugged into a socket in her bedroom which was later revealed to be another hidden camera which led to Closs being reported. When questioned by police about why he had filmed her he replied it was because of a ‘perversion’ and he was arrested. Clips on the memory cards and other devices showed Closs setting the cameras up while he was also able to stream footage over the internet to his mobile phone and television. Officers also discovered clips of other women that had been filmed without their knowledge but were unable to identify them.
Ian Scott, defending, said: “He was most anxious that the victim of this offence was not required to come to court. “He is assessed as being at low risk to the public but this offence was over a sustained period and there is no getting away from that. “It does sit in absolute isolation and there has been no criminal offending before and there is nothing outstanding and the offending ground to a halt when this came to light.” Sheriff Douglas Brown said: “The offence involved a high degree of planning with cameras disguised as other objects and the offending continued over a lengthy period. “It continued despite her challenging you about a suspicious item she had found and you recorded her involved in private acts where she should have reasonably been able to feel safe.”
(Daily Record, February 2020 - https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/paedophile-set-up-spy-cameras-21538150)
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