A university professor paid himself into a children’s swim disco and spent the evening wandering in and out of cubicles in the changing rooms, a trial has heard.
Peter Ridges was seen on CCTV watching young girls entering changing cubicles, before wandering into the neighbouring cubicle himself.
A court was shown footage of Ridges – wearing just swimming shorts – repeatedly walking around the changing rooms at Perth Leisure Pool.
He was seen furtively looking at groups of children – aged from eight to 14 – before deciding which cubicle he should enter next, the trial at Perth Sheriff Court heard.
When the children finished changing in or out of their swimwear and exited the cubicle, Ridges is seen to exit the adjacent cubicle shortly after.
He is wearing exactly the same as he did when he entered.
Pool staff told the trial they thought it highly unusual any adult on their own would want to attend the regular Saturday night event, which is staged for young children.
Police were called in when Ridges, from Edinburgh, turned up again to the kids’ disco on the corresponding weekend exactly a year later and was recognised by staff.
‘It wasn’t sitting right with me’
Reception worker Fiona Pallister, 44, said: “It’s the kids’ disco on a Saturday night.
“It’s full of children with loud music.
“Not many people come in on their own. One guy came in.
“He said he was meeting somebody down in the leisure pool, so he wanted to go down there.
“He just asked for a swim.
“I just thought it was very odd.
“It wasn’t sitting right with me.
“My colleague came to see where he was several times that night and he was never actually in the swimming pool.
“He was just in the changing rooms the whole time and round the toilets.
“He came up the stairs without his shoes on.
“He put his shoes on and left.”
Second visit – exactly a year later
She said Ridges first visit was on February 9 2019 and he returned on February 8 2020 and paid to attend the swim disco on his own again and spent the time looking from the upper level to the pool below.
“It was a year to the day and I was on again.
“He never went downstairs.
“He was just looking over into the leisure pool.
“The duty manager said to phone the police.”
The court was told Ridges disappeared into a toilet when police arrived and after “around ten minutes” officers went in to tell him to come out.
Duty manager Susan Chmiel told the court: “We contacted the police about a gentleman who was at the pool acting suspiciously.
“We believed he was looking predominantly at girls in the changing rooms.
“He was wearing pretty much exactly the same as he was the previous year.”
‘Loitering’ charges
Heriot-Watt University Maths Professor Ridges, 59, from Willow Tree Place, is alleged to have been recording “by unknown means”, while following children around the changing area.
He denies conducting himself in a disorderly manner and breaching the peace by “loitering” in the changing area at Perth Leisure Pool on February 9 2019.
He denies watching and following children and then watching them enter cubicles before entering an adjacent cubicle himself.
He denies leaving cubicles after the children exit.
Ridges also denies breaching the peace on February 8 2020 by “loitering in the changing room for a period of time and repeatedly recording by means unknown.”
He denies watching and following children before entering cubicles next to them.
The trial continues.
