A man who set up a hidden camera to film a teenage girl naked in her bedroom – then was caught when she visited his house and borrowed his laptop as an adult – was today jailed.
William Geddes was rumbled when the women spotted a folder on the computer marked with her name.
When she opened it she found more than 30 videos inside of her dressing and undressing.
The stunned woman, who cannot be named, fled the house in Carnoustie, Angus, with the laptop.
Geddes later tracked her to a supermarket cafe in Arbroath and tried to run off with the computer – but was stopped by the woman’s partner.
Now the 59-year-old has been locked up for 18 months and placed on the sex offenders register for life.
Fiscal depute Stewart Duncan told Dundee Sheriff Court: “She attended the house and was using the laptop when she noticed a folder that contained a number of video files that were marked with her name.
“She opened one, dated from 2012, and saw it was of him walking into the room holding a recording device and putting it on a shelf before exiting.
“She saw herself entering from the bathroom wearing just a towel then taking it off leaving herself naked.
“He then re-entered after she left the room and took it off the shelf.
“She left the house and went home with the laptop and she and her partner found a number of videos.
“All appeared to have been filmed in her bedroom.
“She had never been aware of it happening.
“She arranged to meet family members at Morrisons and five minutes after leaving the accused attended her address and was told by her partner she had left with the laptop.
“She was waiting at Morrisons for others when he arrived and asked what she had found.
“He said he would delete it and then grabbed her backpack and went to leave the store.
“As he left he was approached by her partner and a struggle ensured with the result that the partner took possession of the laptop and police were contacted.
“In total 31 videos with a total run time of 21 hours 19 minutes were found.”
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Geddes, 59, of Braehead Drive, Carnoustie, pleaded guilty on indictment to charges under the Sexual Offences Scotland Act and to possessing indecent images of children.
The offences were committed between December 2010 and May 2014.
Defence solicitor Nick Whelan said: “He’s been on bail for these matters since April last year and has not come to the attention of the authorities during that period.
“He has no previous convictions.
“The impact of this offence on his family has been devastating.”
Sheriff Tom Hughes jailed Geddes for 18 months and placed him on the sex offenders register for life.
He said: “Your selfish actions caused catastrophic consequences not only to the victim, but also to your extended family who have been appalled at what you have been doing over the years since 2010.
“Your victim at the time was a child and I’m told she was vulnerable at the particular stage.
“You have heard her with long term consequences.
“I’m told in the reports that the way I should deal with you is by a non custodial disposal and to impose a community payback order.
“Unfortunately for you I don’t accept that.
“Society doesn’t think it is appropriate that people like you should walk away from this with a CPO.
“Because of the serious nature of what you have done and the consequences a custodial sentence is the only way of dealing with this matter.”
