Alexander Hindmarsh, a former police officer from West Midlands Police, has been sentenced to 19 months in jail for secretly recording men using public toilets and showers for his own sexual pleasure.
Hindmarsh, 32 years old and residing on Dulverton Avenue, Coventry, carried out these disturbing acts over a span of nearly two years.
He pleaded guilty to the charges during a previous court hearing.
Furthermore, he was ordered to register as a sex offender at Birmingham Crown Court after his claims of “consensual voyeurism” were dismissed as absurd lies during police interviews.
The prosecutor, Robert Tolhurst, shared in court that Hindmarsh, who was on track for a rapid promotion within the police force, was apprehended by members of the public and security guards on November 13 of the previous year.
This occurred after a victim noticed Hindmarsh using his phone to film over the wall of a toilet cubicle at Coventry’s Cannon Park Shopping Centre.
Following his arrest, officers searched Hindmarsh’s home while he was taken to a custody block at Perry Barr in Birmingham.
Although no evidence of the incident leading to his arrest was found, examination of his phone uncovered footage of 39 other suspected instances of voyeurism.
A total of 28 videos capturing men in private acts within toilet cubicles and showers were identified, including some believed to be from service stations in Staffordshire and Worcestershire.
Hindmarsh later confessed to the charges of observing and recording private acts between December 2020 and November 2022.
The videos revealed that the victims were unaware of being filmed, with some shown in a state of undress.
During sentencing, Judge Dean Kershaw criticized Hindmarsh’s assertion that he mistook one of the victims for his partner and that “consensual voyeurism” was accepted in the gay community.
The judge emphasized that these acts were done for Hindmarsh’s sexual gratification and noted his disbelief in Hindmarsh’s claim of ignorance.
The judge pointed out that Hindmarsh’s behavior continued for two years, indicating a disregard for the consequences of his actions.
The judge’s rebuke extended to Hindmarsh’s account to the police after his arrest, deeming it absurd and filled with falsehoods.
The prosecution dismantled his lies, leading Hindmarsh to ultimately admit his guilt.
The Crown Prosecution Service, in a statement following the sentencing, identified various locations implicated in the investigation, including service stations at Tamworth and Hopwood Park.
Julia Powell from the CPS highlighted that the men captured in the recordings were unaware of being filmed, and she revealed the evolution of Hindmarsh’s statements from initially believing it was his partner to later describing it as a “misunderstanding.”
The prosecution’s careful unraveling of Hindmarsh’s fabrications left him with no alternative but to acknowledge his guilt.
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