IAN BETTS AND SHOCKING UPSTSURING IN FLINTSHIRE
A man identified as Ian Betts has been sentenced to prison after committing a series of disturbing voyeuristic acts involving women and young girls in a supermarket located in Mold, Flintshire.The severity of his offences and the disturbing nature of his actions have shocked both the local community and authorities.
Ian Betts, 61 years old, residing in Celyn Park, Carmel, appeared before Mold Crown Court to face sentencing on Tuesday morning.
His criminal record includes multiple charges related to voyeurism and the possession of indecent images.
Betts admitted to several offences, including eight counts of recording under clothing, a form of upskirting, three charges of making indecent images, four charges of taking indecent images, one count of possessing prohibited images, and two counts of attempted upskirting.
The incidents came to light in 2021 when a shopper at Tesco Mold noticed suspicious behavior.
The shopper observed Betts acting inappropriately behind a young female shopper who was wearing a skirt.
Betts was seen holding his mobile phone in his hand while standing close behind her.
Witnesses reported that Betts bent over towards the girl and directed his phone between her legs.
The phone’s screen lit up at that moment, revealing his illicit intentions.
The concerned shopper quickly intervened by detaining Betts and informing both the girl’s parent and Tesco staff about what was happening.
Police were called to the scene, where they confiscated Betts’ phone along with several other electronic devices.
An investigation ensued, and authorities uncovered a disturbing collection of indecent images on his devices.
These included ten images categorized as level A (the most serious), two at level B, and a staggering 2,859 images at level C.
Additionally, four prohibited images involving children were discovered on his devices.
Further police inquiries revealed that Betts had been involved in upskirting on multiple previous occasions.
Footage from several victims, both adult women and young girls, showed them wearing skirts or dresses, and Betts’s actions were captured in these recordings.
Many of these recordings were taken at Tesco in Mold.
Through the use of Betts’ Clubcard data, investigators were able to access CCTV footage that tracked his movements and linked him to these offences.
One particular incident, charged as attempted upskirting, involved Betts attempting to secretly record beneath the clothing of two young girls in Mold town center.
When questioned by police, Betts expressed remorse and claimed he would accept responsibility for his actions.
He attributed his behavior to what he described as an “obsessive compulsive disorder,” suggesting a psychological component to his motivations.
It was noted during the hearing that Betts had a prior history of similar conduct.
In 2008, he was strangely cautioned for 14 separate offences involving the making of indecent images but did not have any criminal convictions on his record at that time.
Victims’ families shared their personal statements during the proceedings.
One parent expressed her horror upon discovering what Betts had done to her daughter, stating she had refrained from informing her daughter immediately to avoid causing embarrassment or discomfort.
She said, “I couldn't believe this man had been so brazen as to take pictures of my young daughter.” Another victim, a young girl, provided a statement to the court, revealing that the offending had left her feeling paranoid and anxious about going out in public.
She explained, “I had so many questions going around in my head.
Why me - what had he done with the photos?” A Tesco employee also spoke about the incident, emphasizing that the store is generally regarded as a safe environment.
They pointed out that Betts’s actions had deeply affected their sense of security, remarking, “For someone like this to come in and violate that makes me feel sick.” During the hearing, Betts’s defense attorney, Robin Boag, acknowledged that the defendant’s responses in his pre-sentence interview were not entirely helpful.
He emphasized that Betts was aware of the seriousness of his actions.
Boag pointed out that in the 18 months following Betts’ arrest, there had been no reports of further misconduct despite the absence of restrictions placed on him.
The defense also noted that Betts’s deviant behavior seemed to revolve around a “leg fetish” related to females, which he claimed was manageable and not uncontrollable.
However, Judge Rhys Rowlands reflected on the case’s disturbing nature.
He noted that while the case is relatively rare, it is still particularly distressing for the victims and their families.
The judge described Betts’s repeated perverted conduct as deeply troubling.
As a consequence, Betts was sentenced to 33 months in prison.
Additionally, he was placed under a sexual harm prevention order and required to register as a sex offender for the next ten years.
Judge Rowlands also commended the quick thinking of the Tesco customer who had identified Betts’s suspicious behavior, stating that his actions prevented what could have been ongoing harm.
The court ordered that a letter of appreciation be sent to this individual, acknowledging their contribution in helping to stop Betts’s predatory behavior and safeguarding others from further victimization.
