Jailed: Stafford man secretly filmed women in changing rooms
A Stafford man who filmed indecent videos of women without their permission has been locked up.
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Richard Halck, aged 38, was arrested after a woman in a changing room at Winsford Lifestyle Centre in Cheshire spotted a hand holding a mobile phone coming from underneath the neighbouring cubicle which she believed was filming her while naked.
He was sentenced at Chester Crown Court on Thursday(24) after previously pleading guilty to eight counts of voyeurism in relation to the incident which happened two years ago.
Cheshire Police said the woman calmly got dressed before approaching staff for help, while also asking a member of the public to prevent him from leaving the cubicle when the incident happened on August 22, 2023.
Police were also called to the scene and on arrival Halck was identified as the man in the cubicle. He was arrested and taken to custody where his mobile phone was also seized.
During subsequent analysis of the phone officers discovered a number of other videos of women which Halck had filmed without their knowledge between July 2022 and August 2023 at various locations across Winsford.
While officers were able to identify three of the victims, a number of others have never been identified.
At the hearing the defendant, formerly of the Winsford area and now of Landor Way in Rowley Park, Stafford, was jailed for 55 weeks, ordered to sign the sex offenders' register for 10 years and made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years and made subject to a restraining order to prevent him contacting his victims in any way.
Dc Sarah Ollier, who led the force's investigation, said: “Firstly, I would like to praise the courage of the victims in this case. To discover that someone has filmed you without your consent must have been terrifying, but thanks to their bravery he has now been held accountable.
“Halck’s actions have had a lasting impact on his victims who were simply going about their daily business. He violated his victims’ personal space and privacy, filming them without their consent in places that they should be able to feel safe.
“This result reinforces our commitment to tackling violence against women and girls, we will prevent, deter and take action against anyone who preys on women and girls.”
Halck was also ordered to pay costs.
