Darren Cox, 49, of Lanark Road, Carstairs, has been placed on the sex offenders register after admitting to filming females in changing cubicles. The offences occurred at Sainsbury's in Hamilton and other unknown locations between February and April 2024.
Cox was caught when a female shopper noticed a phone placed on top of the cubicle she was in. She confronted him, and police were contacted. CCTV footage showed Cox entering a fitting room carrying two pairs of trousers and two t-shirts, while the woman was seen entering an adjacent cubicle.
Evidence Found on Phone
When police seized Cox's phone, they found 20 videos of adult women in a state of undress in fitting rooms. Additionally, they discovered a video of a girl believed to be aged between 10 and 12 years old as she changed in a cubicle. None of the victims, apart from the woman who caught him, have been identified.
Prosecutor Kevin Morrow told Hamilton Sheriff Court that Cox was "tearful" and apologetic when questioned. Cox admitted to watching and filming people in changing areas, claiming he did not know the girl was so young and deleted that video upon realization.
Defense and Sentencing
Cox told police his wife had been going through a "horrendous" time and he was her carer, adding that he had been "flaming stupid" and wanted to apologize. Sheriff Liam Murphy noted that the victim's statement showed Cox's actions had a "significant" impact on her. The sheriff warned Cox: "Be under no illusion, you have pleaded guilty to a serious offence."
Sentence was deferred for background reports, an electronic tagging assessment, and a risk assessment. Cox will be sentenced next month.
