A creepy Fife bricklayer stashed “numerous” secret intimate photos of his former partner that she did not know he’d taken.
Self-employed Steven Brown, of Ellisland Avenue in Kirkcaldy, secretly snapped pictures of his long-term partner while she was asleep, getting changed and bending over to pick up things.
Perverted Brown also pestered the woman for sex, including telling her to get drunk first.
Now on the sex offenders register, Brown has had his phone seized by a court and must steer clear of his victim for two years.
Perverted photos
Fiscal depute Amy Robertson explained that in 2022, after the relationship had ended, the woman was on Brown’s phone and found intimate photographs of herself.
Some showed her asleep, some naked and in others she was partially clothed.
They were taken some years before.
Early in 2023, the woman discussed the photographs with Brown but he continued to take photographs of her and repeatedly made sexual remarks and asked sexual questions.
In May last year, she began to record him as he told her if she had sex with him five times, she “could live without restrictions”.
The following month, while the woman was getting ready for a night out with friends, Brown resumed his badgering for sex.
He told her: “You could go out and get fully drunk and you wouldn’t even notice.
“If you can suck it up for one night… I’m not going to pester you for it again.”
Sexually motivated
After being arrested, police scrutinised Brown’s phone.
They found “numerous” intimate photos of the woman, including when Brown had lifted bedcovers when she had been asleep.
Ms Robertson asked a sentencing sheriff to find Brown’s conduct had a significant sexual element and met the test to place him on the sex offenders register.
She said: “It’s very clear that the offences are sexually motivated.
“His behaviour was a persistent, repetitive and sexually-motivated course of conduct.”
Not suitable for rehabilitation scheme
At a previous hearing, Brown admitted that for more than four years, he engaged in a course of behaviour which was abusive.
Defence solicitor Emily Simpson said: “He is not suitable for the Caledonian Men’s Programme.
“Mr Brown has no previous convictions.
“He is aware she had access to his phone due to her having thought that he was cheating.
“He had also had a number of photos sent to him.
“Mr Brown has no issue with the phone being forfeited (and) has no problem with a non-harassment order being imposed.
“There is a sexual element – that cannot be denied. I would suggest it’s not significant.”
“Serious” offence
At Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court, Sheriff Steven Borthwick KC imposed a direct alternative to imprisonment.
He ordered Brown, 39, to complete 240 hours of unpaid work in a year.
The sheriff granted forfeiture of his phone, ordered him to pay £2,000 compensation and made a non-harassment order lasting 24 months.
He also placed Brown on the sex offenders register for a year.
The sheriff said: “This is a serious offence and I’ve had sight of a victim impact statement in which (the complainer) sets out in some considerable detail the psychological harm your behaviour has caused.”
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