JOSHUA LORD CAUGHT FILMING CHILDREN AT CARDIFF INTERNATIONAL POOL IN CARDIFF BAY
In a disturbing case that has shocked the community in Cardiff, Joshua Lord, a former psychologist and academic, was found guilty of secretly filming children at Cardiff International Pool in Cardiff Bay.The incident took place in November 2018, when Lord used a covert device disguised as a 'spy watch' to record young swimmers undressing within the privacy of the changing cubicles.
Lord, aged 29, who previously worked at Cardiff University and later transitioned into a career in statistics, concealed the tiny camera beneath the dividing walls of the changing area.
His actions came to light after a young girl raised concerns about his suspicious behavior, prompting the matter to be reported to the police.
The authorities responded swiftly, and through the use of CCTV footage, they traced Lord’s whereabouts and arrested him on January 18 of the following year.
During the police investigation, officers seized electronic devices from Lord, including a laptop and the spy watch containing the miniature camera.
Forensic analysis of these devices revealed a series of indecent videos involving five different children, as well as a voyeuristic recording of an adult woman.
All recordings, each lasting up to two minutes and 46 seconds, were made on the same day and involved children ranging from eight years old to mid-teens.
Among the disturbing footage was a video of a 15-year-old girl removing her swimming costume, exposing her chest and genitals.
Another clip showed an eight-year-old boy being filmed as an adult assisted him in changing clothes.
Prosecutors detailed that Lord also recorded an 11-year-old girl with her buttocks exposed as she undressed, along with a video of two children in a cubicle—one of whom was a 10-year-old girl removing her trousers.
Additionally, Lord captured an 11-year-old girl pulling off her jogging bottoms and a woman disrobing, which exposed her breasts.
Further investigation into Lord’s online activity uncovered searches for terms such as “PTHC,” an abbreviation for pre-teen hard core, and access to videos titled “hidden camera in WC,” indicating premeditated intent and interest in voyeuristic material.
Despite refusing to answer questions during his police interview, Lord later admitted to charges of voyeurism and creating indecent images of children.
Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke addressed the court, emphasizing the severity of Lord’s offenses, describing them as “simply too serious” for anything other than immediate imprisonment.
Consequently, Lord was sentenced to 16 months in prison.
The court also imposed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, requiring him to register as a sex offender for the same duration.
An application was made for the destruction of the spy watch and laptop to prevent further misuse of the devices, underscoring the gravity of the case and the community’s concern for safeguarding children in Cardiff.
