APRIL 2010 Pervert walks free after taping young girls changing A paedo swimming teacher was given a three-year community supervision order after using a spy camera pen to record video of pre-pubescent girls. Christopher Newcombe, 54, pleaded guilty to making a record of a person doing a private act on March 18 after being discovered filming in the girls changing room at Swimright in Beckenham. Newcombe used a camera pen, which he hid in bag and planted in the female changing rooms at the pool. He was arrested while staying at Viney Bank, Croydon, on July 24 after someone discovered him filming in the changing room and admitted to making three separate films of young girls changing. Newcombe, who currently lives in Knight’s Hill, West Norwood and is on benefits and suffers from back problems, was allowed to sit while the judge passed sentence. Judge John Tanzer said: “You have had a difficult upbringing. “People who were themselves abused as youths turn into predators themselves although in your case your offending is at the very lower end of the scale of offences. “You invaded the privacy that other people were entitled to.” Newcombe was given the lowest sentence possible for the offence after the police and the prosecution forgot to bring in the footage for the judge to view. Judge Tanzer said: “It is right that in the absence of the footage, I take a view which is in your favour and again, treat the material in the lowest possible category. “I suspect the reason it is not here is the quality and detail is very low.” Newcombe was given a three year supervision order and told he had to sign the sex offenders register for five years. He was also ordered to join an accredited community sex offender’s programme.