A prolific upskirter who targeted more than 20 women in just one evening has been jailed.
James Manchand was spotted hovering around groups of women around Soho on January 16.
Plain-clothed officers noticed the 62-year-old was deliberately pacing along queues outside of venues.
When they stopped Manchand they found 29 videos of 20 different victims on his phone. All of them were filmed that evening.
He was arrested at the scene and on Friday was sentenced to 20 months imprisonment.
Manchand already had a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for a previous voyeurism offense.
Detective Constable Sam Pearson, who led the investigation, said: ‘Manchand’s predatory behavior was calculated, persistent and showed a complete disregard for the women he targeted.
‘Thanks to the vigilance and quick instincts of officers on patrol, we were able to intervene before he could continue offending and recover clear evidence that he had committed multiple voyeurism offenses in a single evening.
‘No one should have to worry about being violated in this way while simply enjoying a night out. We will continue to act swiftly and decisively against anyone who poses a threat to women and girls.’
Commander Clair Kelland, the Met’s public protection lead, said: ‘Voyeurism can take many forms, but at its core it is a blatant intrusion into someone’s privacy, often carried out in crowded or busy places where victims may not immediately realise what has happened.
This Is Not Right
On November 25, 2024 Metro launched This Is Not Right, a campaign to address the relentless epidemic of violence against women.
With the help of our partners at Women’s Aid, This Is Not Right aims to shine a light on the sheer scale of this national emergency.
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‘There is absolutely no excuse for this behavior. Whether motivated by sexual gratification or a desire to cause humiliation, distress or alarm, voyeurism is always deeply unsettling for those targeted.
‘We also want to encourage bystanders to look out for one another. If you see someone behaving in a way that feels predatory or attempting to film under clothing, please report it to officers or venue staff straight away. Your quick action could prevent someone from being targeted.’
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