Businessman had secret Bond-style camera on his shoe for ‘upskirt’ photos
A PRIVATELY educated business- man used a James Bond-style spy camera fitted to his shoe to film up the skirts of women shopping in one of Britain’s wealthiest villages.
Stafford Cant, 47, adapted one of his trainers to hide a lens under the laces.
He then patrolled upmarket boutiques and shops in Alderley Edge, Cheshire, to secretly obtain ‘upskirt’ images of unsuspecting victims. The peeping Tom also had a mini-camera fitted to his wristwatch and car key fob, which he used to film the back of women’s legs.
Cant’s activities were uncovered when police, acting on a tip off, raided his home in the village, which is home to millionaire professionals, celebrities and footballers.
They discovered a pervert’s library of 222,000 videos and indecent images, including extreme porn, ‘snuff’ videos of women being strangled, child sex abuse and 20 home-made ‘upskirt’ films of women doing their weekly shopping in supermarkets.
As Cant was jailed for three years yesterday, it emerged that the Government is planning new laws on upskirting in order for it to be included as a specific crime in sexual offences legislation.
Cant, a management consultant with a masters’ degree in philosophy, admitted outraging public decency, voyeurism and possessing and distributing indecent images. Judge Simon Berkson said he ought to be ‘ thoroughly ashamed’ of his behaviour.
Chester Crown Court heard that police searched Cant’s home in January last year. Anna Price, prosecuting, said: ‘There was a variety of covert recording devices. Shoes modified to carry a camera with no other function other than to record up skirts. There were key fobs and a camera watch to film the back of women and young girls’ legs.’
Michael Johnson, defending, said ‘experiences’ as a young boy had left Cant with depression. ‘Pornography has been used as a distraction from the difficulties he had and the negative feelings,’ he added.
Cant, now of Macclesfield, Cheshire, was also ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for life.
Campaigners say existing laws for voyeurism, public decency and public order do not provide enough scope for a conviction in upskirting cases.
Following calls by Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse, justice minister Rory Stewart said yesterday that ministers were ‘actively looking’ at her proposed Private Member’s Bill on the ‘disgusting and horrifying’ practice.