Businessman facing jail after spying on wife

Perthshire car dealer in court following four-year stalking campaign

A suspicious businessman set up a surveillance operation aimed at ensnaring his wife who he was convinced was having an affair.

Scott Ennis installed covert monitoring devices at his Perthshire home, taped his wife’s work conversations and tracked her movements electronically and by engaging one of his own workers to shadow her. But when his four-year secret stalking campaign unravelled, along with his marriage, Ennis ended up in the dock at Perth Sheriff Court where he was yesterday warned he faces a prison sentence.

Ennis, of Auchterarder, began spying on his wife Lisa when he suspected she was cheating on him with David Welsh, a partner in his struggling used car business Roundal Group in Tullibardine. The court heard Mrs Ennis eventually did embark on a relationship with Mr Welsh, but only after leaving her husband when she discovered his surveillance operation.

Ennis, 50, admitted engaging in a course of conduct which caused fear and alarm in various locations across Perth and Kinross.

Acar dealer stalked his wife for more than four years while suspecting she was having an affair with his business partner.

Business owner Scott Ennis secretly filmed her in the bedroom, recorded her work conversations with a hidden microphone and deployed a member of his staff to spy on her.

Lisa Ennis had no idea what was going on until she spotted a mystery device on her wi-fi router and discovered it was her husband’s spy camera.

She realised live footage of their bedroom was being streamed from a bedside digital alarm clock her husband gave her as a gift and had set up himself.

Ennis was also using mobile phone technology to track his wife’s movements during his secret stalking campaign between January 1 2015 and August 2 2019.

Perth Sheriff Court heard yesterday that Ennis repeatedly sent one of his staff to follow his wife and take photos and videos of her without her knowledge.

Ennis, who had financial difficulties with his used car business Roundal Group, suspected she was cheating on him with his partner David Welsh.

Fiscal depute Gail Russell told the court the decadelong marriage was failing and Mrs Ennis began a relationship with Mr Welsh in 2019, after she had left her husband.

She said employee Adam Horton admitted the part he had played in the spying campaign because he was ashamed of what he had agreed to do for Ennis.

Mrs Russell told the court Ennis was the owner of Roundal Car Dealership in Tullibardine, where his wife was a bookkeeper and David Welsh was also employed there.

He said Ennis gave his wife a digital alarm clock as a gift, adding: “He set it up and positioned it facing the bed.

“It stayed there until she moved out in May 2018. He again set up the digital clock in the bedroom.

“She accessed the router and saw a device she didn’t recognise. This took her to a live feed from the digital clock which had a camera within it.

“It was a livestream of the bed. She had a WhatsApp conversation with the accused and confronted him.”

Mrs Russell said Mr Welsh spotted the box for the clock in the office and quit his job, while Mrs Ennis then noticed bins had been moved in her garden.

Checks showed Ennis was parked nearby and at other times it was apparent he was driving a short distance behind her on a road near her home.

The court heard how Ennis pressed Mr Horton into finding out where Mr Welsh was living after it became apparent he was involved in a relationship with Mrs Ennis in 2019.

Mr Horton was sent in a van to park nearby and take video as Ennis said he wanted proof they were a couple.

“He repeatedly asked him to spy on her,” Mrs Russell said.

“Over a period of several months the accused would ask Adam Horton to check her home address. He was given a phone number and asked to check activity on WhatsApp.”

Mr Horton eventually contacted Mr Welsh because he felt so guilty, which led to the discovery of a microphone device under the desk where Mrs Ennis had worked.

“Adam Horton apologised and said he was ashamed that he had been instructed by the accused to follow her.

“He had been instructed to follow them and take photos and videos.”

Police were called and a search of Ennis’s internet history showed he had researched bugging devices, iPhone software and covert spying equipment.

When quizzed by officers, Ennis said: “I believed my wife to be cheating on me with my ex-business partner.”

The court heard Ennis left the company in 2019.

Sheriff William Wood told Ennis: “Clearly your conduct has been despicable. This course of conduct was over a four and a half year period.

“I will get a report and a victim impact statement. Your wife will have an impact on what the court decides but it won’t be the determining factor.”

He deferred sentence for social background reports and warned Ennis he should prepare for a prison sentence.

Ennis, 50 of Auchterarder, admitted engaging in a course of conduct that caused fear and alarm in various locations across Perth and Kinross between January 2015 and August 2019.

He admitted installing a covert camera and a microphone recording device to watch and listen to his wife’s movements and conversations without her knowledge.

He admitted tracking her using iPhone technology, moving items in her garden, and getting his employee to walk past her home to record her in the company of Mr Welsh.

ADMISSION: Scott Ennis began spying on his wife using covert technology after suspecting she was having an affair.