LEE COULL FROM DUNDEE CAUGHT TRYING TO FILM 11-YEAR-OLD GIRL AT OLYMPIA LEISURE CENTRE
In a disturbing incident that took place at Dundee's Olympia Leisure Centre, Lee Coull, a 26-year-old man from Alloway Terrace, attempted to secretly record an 11-year-old girl as she was changing her swimwear in the facility's changing rooms.The incident occurred around 4 pm on a Tuesday, and it has raised serious concerns about privacy and safety in public spaces.
According to court reports, Coull was seen holding his mobile phone over the top of a cubicle at the leisure centre, with the apparent intent of capturing images or videos of the young girl.
The girl, who was in the process of changing after swimming, noticed the device and immediately shouted out in alarm.
She tried to push the phone away, but despite her efforts, the device reappeared seconds later in the same position, indicating an attempt to continue filming or photographing her without consent.
The court heard that the girl was in a cubicle next to her friend, and both were engaged in changing clothes when the incident unfolded.
Her friend had passed her a bottle of juice under the bottom of their cubicle, and as the girl bent down to retrieve it, she became aware of a male presence in the cubicle opposite.
A few moments later, she looked up and saw a black mobile phone being held from the adjacent cubicle, directed downward at them.
The girls immediately shouted for the individual to go away and attempted to hit the phone away, but it continued to appear at the same spot a few seconds later.
Distressed by the experience, the young girl and her friend moved to the next row of cubicles to see if they could identify the person responsible.
They observed that one of the cubicles was still locked, while the others were vacant.
Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, they promptly informed staff members, who contacted the police to investigate the matter further.
Lee Coull was subsequently charged and admitted to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner that was likely to cause fear and alarm.
Specifically, he was accused of placing his mobile phone over the top of a changing cubicle with the apparent intent of filming or photographing a minor.
The incident was officially recorded as having taken place on April 14.
During the court proceedings, Coull's defense lawyer, Theo Finlay, argued that the reports suggested he posed a low risk of reoffending.
He also emphasized that the sheriff had the discretionary power to decide whether Coull should be added to the sex offender’s register, despite the case having a significant sexual element.
The court, presided over by Sheriff Alistair Carmichael, ultimately imposed a community payback order with 18 months of supervision but decided not to include Coull on the sex offender’s register.
Additionally, Coull was granted bail with a special condition that banned him from entering the Olympia Leisure Centre.
It is important to note that this incident is not isolated.
In April 2015, Coull was also involved in an earlier attempt to film a child at the same Dundee swimming pool, further highlighting concerns about his conduct in public spaces.
The repeated nature of these incidents underscores the need for vigilance and appropriate legal measures to protect minors and ensure public safety.
