A man who filmed a woman while she tried on a dress in a Sainsbury's changing room in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, is facing a prison sentence. Darren Cox, 49, held his phone over the top of the cubicle as the victim changed, leaving her underwear exposed.
Victim confronts offender
The woman looked up and noticed a black object 'swaying' in the air. She confronted Cox as he attempted to leave the area 'sheepishly' and asked to see his phone. Cox replied, 'What's the matter darling? You have got it wrong, you are mistaken.' A security guard examined the device but found no evidence of photos, and Cox left. However, the woman reported the incident to police.
Cyber investigation reveals evidence
Cyber investigations discovered Cox had been using an app to take photos and videos. A raid on his home uncovered 20 images of unknown adults in a state of undress and three images showing children aged 10 to 13. Cox broke down during police questioning, stating he was no longer intimate with his wife and said, 'I have to make an admission, I have been taking videos and watching people in changing areas. I just feel this sense of rejection and thought if I saw something real it would stop these feelings. If only I could go back and tell myself not to be so flaming stupid I would.' He admitted he did not know the age of a young girl he had recorded.
Court proceedings
Cox, of Carstairs, Lanarkshire, appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court and pleaded guilty to two charges of voyeurism between February and April 2024. Depute fiscal Kevin Morrow told the court that the victim confronted Cox in the changing area. Morrow said, 'She looked up to see a black object pointing over the cubicle while her dress was up and her underwear was exposed and realised the object was swaying. She exited and saw the cubicle next to her was closed and remained closed for three to five minutes before a male then emerged sheepishly. She stopped him and asked if she could see the back of his phone and realised it was the same phone she had seen.'
Sentence deferred
Sheriff Liam Murphy deferred sentence on Cox until next month for reports and continued bail. Murphy stated, 'You should be under no illusion that you have pled guilty to serious offences. It is clear from the victim impact statement that this has had a significant impact on the named complainer.' Cox was placed on the sex offenders' register.
