A registered sex offender caught taking 'thousands' of pictures of women at Manchester Pride by plain clothes police officers faces a jail sentence.
Andrew Smoggie, 52, Warrington, was seen acting 'suspiciously' around women during a Pride event on Peter Street. Cops then saw him take a picture of a woman who was unaware and as they confronted him, he told them: “It’s not illegal to take a photograph in a public place.” After being spoken to by police he was identified as a registered sex offender with an order preventing him from taking pictures of any female not known to him whilst in a public. READ MORE: 'Obsessive' stalker travelled 4,000 miles to confront ex after she dumped him then held her cousin hostage When police checked his phone they found ‘thousands’ of pictures of women taken from behind.
Smoggie earlier pleaded guilty to breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). He will be sentenced next month at Manchester Crown Court.
Manchester Magistrates' Court heard that Smoggie was handed a suspended sentence in October 2021 for an offence of upskirting.