Teenager filmed women undressing in pool changing room at leisure centre

Community order: May also placed on sex offenders register.

A teenager filmed women as they undressed in the unisex changing area of a swimming pool because he was “confused” about their bodies.

Andrew May, 19, used his mobile phone to film victims as they changed in cubicles at Scotstoun Leisure Centre between November 2010 and January 2011.

On Tuesday, he was issued with a community payback order at Glasgow Sheriff Court.

May was finally discovered while recording his final victim - a 44-year-old woman who cannot be named for legal reasons – who caught him when she bent down to retrieve an item of clothing she had dropped.

May was reported to staff at the leisure centre who called the police. He made a full admission claiming he was "confused about women's bodies".

The 19-year-old, from the Partick area of Glasgow, pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to recording various women at the changing area.

Passing sentence sheriff Richard Clark said the offence was serious and May had to recognise that. Mr Clark noted that he was entitled to send May to prison despite his being a first-time offender.

He added: "However, I recognise not only that factor but that of your age and in terms of the reports available I am satisfied I can deal with this matter appropriately by imposition of a community payback order."

May will be supervised for three years and will work with a sex offenders' programme, as well as carrying out 120 hours of unpaid work. He will also be subject to the sex offenders register for three years.

The court was told the woman was in a cubicle at the changing area around 4pm on January 18, 2011.

Procurator fiscal depute Joe Stewart, prosecuting, explained: "She dropped an item of clothing and as she bent down to retrieve it she noticed a hand which was holding a black mobile phone, reaching through between the neighbouring cubicle and her own. It was apparent to the complainer that someone was either recording or photographing her as she got changed. She was shocked and alarmed at this discovery; she slapped the hand away and quickly covered herself and exited the cubicle."

The court heard she banged on the door of May's cubicle but got no response so reported the incident to staff and left because she did not want to see who had been filming her. A member of staff then went to the cubicle and May came to the door before being taken to the manager’s office to wait for the police to arrive.

Mr Stewart said: "While waiting for the police to arrive the accused was asked by one of the members of staff why he had recorded the complainer to which he replied 'I was confused about women and women's bodies'."

The court was told May was "agitated and upset" by the time the police arrived and he was taken to the police station. Analysis of the phone showed seven clips of females taken on two dates in November and one the following year in January.

Frank Moore, defending, described his client as "anxious" and said "he is a young man who needs help".

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