KEIR HAZLEHURST AND SHOCKING VOYEURISM IN CARDIFF AND NEWPORT
Keir Hazlehurst, aged 33, a resident of Cardiff, committed a series of disturbing voyeuristic acts that involved the covert filming of women with the aid of both a mobile phone and a spy camera.His actions came to public attention after he inappropriately showed a photo of a woman on a toilet to a friend, which ultimately led to the involvement of law enforcement authorities.
Investigations revealed that Hazlehurst's device contained 43 still images extracted from videos—these images had been deleted but were recovered by police.
The pictures included footage of three women, with the youngest victim being only 16 years old.
Additionally, authorities discovered two images of a woman taken at the Celtic Manor hotel located in Newport, in a state of partial undress.
The case was heard at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday, where it was disclosed that Hazlehurst, who manages a fish and chip shop and is a father of two, committed these offences in the year 2018.
Prosecutor David Pugh outlined the details, saying: “The defendant showed [a friend] a video and claimed it was humorous.
The video depicted a woman on the toilet with her trousers lowered, showing part of her thigh.
It was evident that she was unaware she was being filmed.
[The friend] watched until he felt uncomfortable and then stopped.” Following this revelation, police executed a search at Hazlehurst’s residential address in Llanishen, Cardiff.
During the search, officers seized a range of electronic equipment, including his mobile phone.
Examination of the device uncovered images of three women in compromising circumstances—some on the toilet, topless, or in various states of undress.
They also confiscated a Fuji camera, which contained two photographs of a woman at the Celtic Manor hotel, also in a revealing state.
On a laptop found at the residence, there were search terms related to indecent images of children; however, no such images were stored on the device.
Hazlehurst remained silent during a police interview but later admitted guilt to two counts of voyeurism.
His legal representatives confirmed his remorse and expressed his willingness to engage in rehabilitation programs, emphasizing his apparent regret and the genuine concern he felt about the impact of his actions.
A victim impact statement, read aloud in court, underscored the profound effect the offences had on one woman.
She described her life being “changed forever,” noting significant social withdrawal and emotional distress.
She expressed her feelings of discomfort and fear, stating: “My social life has been affected and I feel unable to leave the house and feel uncomfortable going out.
I don’t want to speak to people as they might have found out about what had happened and might be talking about me.
It makes attending the gym or any other sporting activity impossible, and even at home I have to pull the blinds and shut the curtains to bathe.
This has changed my life, and I no longer have the confidence to go anywhere.
I want to get back to how I was before and not feel this pain.” Defense lawyer David Pinell highlighted Hazlehurst’s remorseful attitude, describing him as “visibly upset” when contemplating the emotional damage caused to his victims.
He indicated his client’s willingness to participate in therapeutic interventions and explore the underlying reasons for his inappropriate conduct.
Sentencing judge Judge Eleri Rees, the Recorder of Cardiff, emphasized that Hazlehurst’s behaviour was primarily driven by his own sexual gratification.
She pointed out the severe emotional and psychological toll inflicted on the victims, who felt humiliated and feared the dissemination of their private images.
The judge acknowledged the evidence of remorse and engagement with rehabilitation but underscored the seriousness of the offences.
Hazlehurst, of Fishguard Road, was sentenced to 36 weeks in prison, though the sentence was suspended for two years.
He was also ordered to complete 80 hours of the Horizon rehabilitation program, undertake 10 days of additional rehabilitation activities, and perform 80 hours of unpaid community service.
Further, he was required to pay court costs amounting to £810.
The court also imposed a sexual harm prevention order on Hazlehurst, and he will remain on the sex offender register for a decade, ensuring ongoing monitoring and restriction.
