A officer has admitted possessing extreme child pornography and filming a woman undressing on his mobile phone in the changing rooms at Primark.
In the latest of a string of disturbing incidents involving sexual misconduct by officers in the force, PC Swaleh Chaudhry, 36, appeared in court today where he pleaded guilty to the upskirting.
The court was told the police officer was arrested on Wednesday after a woman at a Primark shop in Wandsworth heard a rustling sound in the cubicle next door to hers as she tried on clothing.
Prosecutor Hussain Suleman said: ‘She looked underneath and saw there was a gap and a black mobile phone with its camera up.She began to scream and said ‘are you recording me’ She heard a response and he said no.’
Mr Suleman said the woman alerted her boyfriend who called security. Chaudhry was held by security officers until police arrived and he was arrested.
It was then discovered that Chaudhry had a cache of other upskirting videos in his possession. He also had child and bestiality porn.
The police officer was arrested on Wednesday after a woman at a Primark shop in Wandsworth heard a rustling sound in the cubicle next door to hers as she tried on clothing
His home in Wimbledon was searched and police found 50-100 moving and still indecent images of children at category A, the most serious kind.They also found thousands of category B and C images and pornography involving sex with animals.
The images were found on numerous devices in a box on his bedroom shelf, including four USB sticks, two Nokia mobile phones, two storage devices, two laptops and two iPhones.
The 36-year-old faced a total of five charges when he appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates Court this morning following his arrest at a Primark store in Wandsworth, south west London on March 30.
Prosecutor Hussain Suleman told the court Chaudhry could face further charges as electronic devices and mobile phones found in his home have yet to be examined and are suspected of containing more indecent images.
Chaudhry showed no emotion as his stood in the dock as the prosecutor described the images found at his home as ‘disturbing.’
The prosecutor told deputy chief magistrate Tan Ikran that the ‘investigation is ongoing and police are examining footage.’
He added: There is a concern as there are a number of exhibits not yet examined.’
He added that police were investigating if images had been stored remotely in ‘the cloud’
Chaudhry, who had his hair tied in a ‘man bun’ and wore a yellow and black bomber jacket, was flanked by two prison officers in the dock.
He entered a guilty plea to the five charges – voyeurism, three charges of making indecent images of a child and one charge of possession of extreme pornography,
Deputy chief magistrate Tan Ikram, who was sitting remotely, told Chaudhry that he would be sent to Kingston Crown Court for sentencing.
The 36-year-old faced a total of five charges when he appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates Court this morning following his arrest at a Primark store in Wandsworth, South West London on March 30
Applying for bail defence barrister Robert Morris said Chaudhry was of previous good character and had accepted responsibility for the images.
He said they had been downloaded between 2012 and 2014 and added he was ‘keen’ to seek help for his voyeurism.
Objecting to bail Mr Suleman said Chaudhry was considered ‘ a high risk to the public’.
Deputy Chief Magistrate Ikran told Chaudhry that he would be remanded in custody until a date had been set for sentencing.
He said:’ I take into account the nature of offending you have accepted and have grounds to believe you would interfere or obstruct the course of justice.As a police officer would know how to obstruct the police in securing the same.’
The Met Police’s Directorate of Professional Standards is aware of the charges and a referral has been made to the Independent Office of Police conduct.