A 51-year-old man caught by Police officers taking images of women at the Manchester Pride Parade has been convicted for breaching Sexual Harm Prevention Order
Two plain officers observed the man on Peter St acting suspiciously around women and walking with his phone to his ear, but the screen was seen to be in photo mode.
He is then observed taking a picture of an unknown female and was immediately challenged by the officers.
Plain clothes officers identified a male taking pictures of females within the crowd and upon speaking with him discovered he was a registered sex offender with an order preventing him from taking pictures of any female not known to him whilst in a public place.
Checks on the phone reveal hundreds of photos of women and it was suspected many were taken at the Pride event.
Andrew Smoggie ,51, of Thelwall Lane in Warrington was charged with a breach of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). A SHPO can also be imposed and remains in place for at least five years – or can be imposed by a court indefinitely – and any breach is a criminal offence.
He was remanded in police custody and appeared at Manchester & Salford Magistrates court on Monday 29 August where he pleaded guilty.
