Taxi driver spied on teenage girl using recording equipment but is spared jail

A former Cumbernauld taxi driver who kept hidden recording equipment in a teenage girl's bedroom has avoided jail.
Glasgow SheriffGlasgow Sheriff
Glasgow Sheriff

David Brown, 57, carried out the sick act at a property in Glasgow's Pollokshields between February 2015 and April 2017.

Brown installed the equipment and adapted structures in the bedroom of the girl when she was aged between 13 and 16.

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He adapted a blanket box and a wardrobe in order to install a mobile phone capable of recording and capturing images of the girl.

Court papers state this was done with the intention of enabling Brown or another person to observe the girl doing a private act.

Brown went on to carry out a similar offence at a holiday home in Florida, USA, while the girl was aged between 16 and 17 between December 2018 and September 2019.

He recorded the girl with a digital video camcorder contained in an alarm clock in her bedroom. This was capable of being accessed remotely by Brown using his mobile phone.

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Brown - a first offender - pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to the two charges in December. Jackie White, defending, told the sentencing that Brown - a new granddad - still has a "very supportive family."

Sheriff Lindsay Wood asked: "Do they know the full story?" Miss White replied: "Yes."

She said: "He was concerned and he was trying to protect the young girl.

He damaged this young woman beyond repair and he is aware of that."

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Sheriff Wood had stated that the girl’s victim impact statement was "one of the worst" he had ever seen.

He told Brown in sentencing: "These recordings were planned by you.

"Your behaviour is utterly shameful and this had a profound and unfair impact on the victim and her family.

"You have a sexually deviant problem which needs addressed.”

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Brown was ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work and tagged for four months keeping him indoors between 9.30pm and 6am. He was put under supervision and not being allowed contact with children under the age of 17 without adult supervision.

Brown was also placed on the sex offenders register for five years.