‘I’m a pervert’, cubicle peeping Tom told police

ATEENAGER told police “I am a pervert” after being caught spying on a woman in a toilet at a Birmingham school.

Abdul Karim made the confession to officers after his twisted plot to hide his mobile phone in loo roll and plant it in a cubicle was exposed.

The 19-year-old, of Weaverley Road, Small Heath, had pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to voyeurism by installing equipment with the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification.

A sentencing hearing at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court heard Karim was 18 at the time of the offence.

Osman Munir, prosecuting, said a staff member at a city school discovered Karim’s phone wrapped in toilet paper in a unisex toilet on the morning of February 2 last year.

She was filmed for a “number of minutes”, the court heard.

Mr Munir said: “She was very upset when she discovered the phone. She felt violated. Police were called and the phone was analysed. They discovered a video of the victim. A picture of Mr Karim was found on the phone.

“When police arrested him he told them, ‘I am a pervert’ and admitted he did it for his own sexual gratification.”

In a highly unusual move, Karim’s solicitor, representing M&N Solicitors, refused to give the Birmingham Post her name. She told the court her client initially decided to plant the phone as a prank.

She said: “He was 18 at the time and was immature. It started as a prank – a joke on his part, though he accepts there was some sexual gratification.

“He knew he would get caught at some point. He is very embarrassed by what he has done. His family have strict religious beliefs and he has had to move out of the family home.

“He wanted to get good grades and go to university but he is now struggling to get a place anywhere. He says he will get a job as a cleaner if he can to make ends meet. He pleaded guilty first time to the offence and must be given credit for that.”

District judge Briony Clarke sentenced Karim to a 30-month community order, which included a rehabilitation requirement to address his offending.

He was also placed on a five-year notification requirement because the offence was sexual.

The judge told him: “Your actions had a profound effect on your victim, who is now paranoid about using public toilets. I have taken into account your age and immaturity but this act was of a serious nature. You filmed the woman for a number of minutes and the video could have got into other hands.

“I had considered a custodial sentence but you will carry out a community order with a rehabilitation requirement.”

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