A former CCTV operator, employed by Thames Valley Police, has been handed a two-year prison sentence for a gross breach of trust that saw him secretly film women for his own sexual gratification.
Graham Smith, 59, of High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, used his position and equipment to commit voyeurism, targeting unsuspecting women in public toilets and a gym changing room. His crimes represent a profound betrayal of his role as a public servant.
A Systematic Betrayal of Public Trust
Smith's illicit activities came to light following a thorough investigation by the very force that employed him. Detectives discovered that Smith had covertly recorded nine victims between August 2021 and May 2023.
The court heard how he used a spyhole camera, meticulously hidden inside a backpack or a washbag, to capture intimate footage of women in vulnerable states. This method demonstrated a chilling level of premeditation and deception.
From Protector to Predator
Perhaps most disturbing was the revelation that Smith committed some of these offences while actively on duty as a CCTV operator for the force. This dual life – publicly monitoring the town for safety while privately violating it – has sent shockwaves through the community.
Investigating officer Detective Constable James Gallagher of Thames Valley Police’s Professional Standards Department stated: "Smith was in a position of trust, and he has abused that trust in the worst way possible for his own sexual gratification."
Justice Served and a Warning to Others
At Aylesbury Crown Court, Smith was sentenced after previously pleading guilty to six counts of voyeurism and one count of misconduct in a public office.
In addition to his custodial sentence, he was was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for ten years and made subject to a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), severely restricting his future activities.
DC Gallagher added: "I hope this sentence acts as a warning to any others who may think about committing such offences that they will be brought to justice." The case highlights the rigorous internal procedures within Thames Valley Police to root out and prosecute criminality, even when it comes from within their own ranks.
