Man caught filming woman in changing room jailed

Richard Price
BBC News, West Midlands
Cheshire Police A police mugshot of Richard Halck, a man wearing a black top. He is standing against a light-coloured background.Cheshire Police
Richard Halck was sentenced to 55 weeks in prison at Chester Crown Court on Thursday

A man who filmed indecent videos of women in Cheshire without their permission has been jailed.

Richard Halck was sentenced at Chester Crown Court on Thursday to a year and three weeks in prison.

The 38-year-old, formerly from Winsford and now of Landor Way, Stafford, previously pleaded guilty to eight counts of voyeurism.

He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for 10 years and handed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and a restraining order to stop him contacting his victims.

Cheshire Police said on Tuesday 22 August 2023 a woman was in a changing room at Winsford Lifestyle Centre when she saw a hand holding a mobile phone coming from underneath the cubicle next to hers, which she believed was filming her while naked.

The woman got dressed and approached staff for help, while also asking a member of the public to prevent Halck from leaving the cubicle.

Police arrested Halck and his mobile phone was seized.

Officers said analysis of his phone revealed a number of other videos of women which he had filmed without their knowledge.

The videos were all filmed between 7 July 2022 and 22 August 2023 at a number of locations across Winsford.

Police said they had been able to identify three of the victims, but a number of others have not been identified.

"Halck's actions have had a lasting impact on his victims, who were simply going about their daily business," said Det Con Sarah Ollier.

"He violated his victims' personal space and privacy, filming them without their consent in places that they should be able to feel safe."

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