STANLEY HARRIS OF WIRRAL CAUGHT FILMING CHILDREN IN BATHROOM WITH HIDDEN CAMERA
| Red Rose Database
Wirral Child Sexual Abuser
In April 2017, a disturbing case emerged involving Stanley Harris, a 68-year-old resident of Devonshire Road, Oxton, Wirral, who was found to have installed a covert camera in his bathroom with the intent of secretly recording individuals while they showered. The victims included a child, a young woman, and their mother, all of whom visited Harris’s home at different times. The gravity of his actions was uncovered when Harris took his laptop to a local computer repair shop, leading to the discovery of highly inappropriate and illegal video content.
On June 16 of the previous year, Harris approached staff at a Bebington-based store requesting assistance in transferring data from his laptop. During this process, a technician noticed an indecent video depicting a child taking a shower. Further inspection revealed that Harris had installed the Tor browser on his device, a tool known for providing access to the Dark Web and enabling users to conceal their online activities. This raised suspicions among the technician, prompting immediate action.
Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, the technician contacted law enforcement authorities. Police officers executed a search warrant at Harris’s residence on June 26, seizing his computer for detailed examination. Harris was subsequently arrested and taken into custody. During police interviews, Harris claimed that he had installed the Tor browser solely to improve his internet browsing speed and denied any involvement in viewing or possessing indecent images. When questioned about the videos, he refused to identify the girl featured in the footage.
A thorough forensic analysis of Harris’s computer revealed more disturbing content. Among the files was a Category A image, classified as the most severe type of child abuse material, showing a schoolgirl engaged in sexual activity with an adult male. Additionally, two Category C images were found, which are considered less severe but still illegal. The police also uncovered a 12-minute video of a girl showering and a 15-minute video of a young woman showering, with another adult female undressing in the background. These videos were linked to the installation of a hidden camera in Harris’s bathroom, which he had set up to record his victims without their knowledge.
Harris admitted to police that he had installed the camera because he was obsessed with the mother of the victims. He claimed that recording the daughters was accidental, suggesting that his primary motive was his fixation on the mother. However, prosecutors did not accept this explanation, and the court did not believe his claims. The victims and their mother expressed their distress in court, with the mother stating, “Having to tell my daughters what he has done will haunt me for the rest of my life.” The eldest victim shared her pain, saying, “I have cried and had many sleepless nights. To know he has been watching me without me knowing sickens me.”
Harris, who had no prior criminal record, pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including two counts of downloading indecent images, one count of taking indecent images, one count of possessing indecent images of children, and voyeurism. During the trial, Harris suggested that the indecent images might have been placed on his laptop by someone else, but the court was not convinced by this defense. Judge Brian Cummings, QC, sentenced Harris to 13 months in prison and ordered him to sign the Sex Offenders Register for a period of ten years, reflecting the severity of his crimes and the impact on his victims.
On June 16 of the previous year, Harris approached staff at a Bebington-based store requesting assistance in transferring data from his laptop. During this process, a technician noticed an indecent video depicting a child taking a shower. Further inspection revealed that Harris had installed the Tor browser on his device, a tool known for providing access to the Dark Web and enabling users to conceal their online activities. This raised suspicions among the technician, prompting immediate action.
Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, the technician contacted law enforcement authorities. Police officers executed a search warrant at Harris’s residence on June 26, seizing his computer for detailed examination. Harris was subsequently arrested and taken into custody. During police interviews, Harris claimed that he had installed the Tor browser solely to improve his internet browsing speed and denied any involvement in viewing or possessing indecent images. When questioned about the videos, he refused to identify the girl featured in the footage.
A thorough forensic analysis of Harris’s computer revealed more disturbing content. Among the files was a Category A image, classified as the most severe type of child abuse material, showing a schoolgirl engaged in sexual activity with an adult male. Additionally, two Category C images were found, which are considered less severe but still illegal. The police also uncovered a 12-minute video of a girl showering and a 15-minute video of a young woman showering, with another adult female undressing in the background. These videos were linked to the installation of a hidden camera in Harris’s bathroom, which he had set up to record his victims without their knowledge.
Harris admitted to police that he had installed the camera because he was obsessed with the mother of the victims. He claimed that recording the daughters was accidental, suggesting that his primary motive was his fixation on the mother. However, prosecutors did not accept this explanation, and the court did not believe his claims. The victims and their mother expressed their distress in court, with the mother stating, “Having to tell my daughters what he has done will haunt me for the rest of my life.” The eldest victim shared her pain, saying, “I have cried and had many sleepless nights. To know he has been watching me without me knowing sickens me.”
Harris, who had no prior criminal record, pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including two counts of downloading indecent images, one count of taking indecent images, one count of possessing indecent images of children, and voyeurism. During the trial, Harris suggested that the indecent images might have been placed on his laptop by someone else, but the court was not convinced by this defense. Judge Brian Cummings, QC, sentenced Harris to 13 months in prison and ordered him to sign the Sex Offenders Register for a period of ten years, reflecting the severity of his crimes and the impact on his victims.