CHIRK AND SHREWSBURY OFFENDER STEVEN WYNNE CAUGHT IN HOSPITAL TOILET SECRET CAMERA SCANDAL

In June 2016, a disturbing case emerged involving Steven Wynne, a 33-year-old bio-chemist from Ash Grove, Chirk, who was found to have committed serious breaches of trust and engaged in disturbing acts of voyeurism at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, where he was employed. Wynne’s criminal activities came to light after police conducted a search of his residence in connection with an ongoing investigation into child sexual abuse images. During this search, officers discovered a collection of computer equipment and 16 mini cameras, some of which had white Velcro strips attached, indicating they were used for covert filming.

Further investigation revealed that Wynne had installed a secret camera in the men’s staff toilets at the hospital. This device was used to film adult men, including hospital staff dressed in white coats, as they used the facilities. The filming was carried out with a level of sophistication and determination, raising serious concerns about breaches of privacy and trust. Although the men’s identities could not be determined from the footage, Wynne’s actions represented a grave violation of personal privacy and professional integrity.

Police found that Wynne had a significant collection of indecent images of children, with one computer containing 522 such images and another holding more than 4,500, including over 2,000 classified as Category A, which depicts the most severe forms of abuse involving young male children. Wynne admitted to downloading and possessing these images, as well as making indecent images, which he had obtained from the internet. His disturbing behavior extended beyond images, as he had also filmed men in hospital toilets, an act that demonstrated a troubling obsession and a breach of trust with his colleagues and the public.

Wynne’s background revealed that he had unrestricted internet access from a young age, which contributed to his exposure to inappropriate material. During police interviews, he expressed confusion about his sexuality, indicating that he had not yet come to terms with his identity. His actions and secret life were described by the judge as a stark contrast to his outward appearance of being a successful individual, having graduated with a degree in bio-chemistry and securing a job at the hospital. Judge Geraint Walters noted that Wynne’s outward demeanor was that of a normal, accomplished man, but beneath that surface lay a disturbing secret.

At his hearing at Mold Crown Court, Wynne pleaded guilty to four charges of making indecent images, four charges of possessing such images, and a voyeurism charge. The court was told that Wynne had been dismissed from his position at the hospital and was now engaged in voluntary work. The judge sentenced him to a three-year internet sex offender program, ordered him to register as a sex offender with the police for five years, and imposed a five-year sexual harm prevention order. Judge Walters emphasized that Wynne, who had no previous convictions, was given a chance to demonstrate that he could change. He also highlighted the severity of Wynne’s breach of trust and the depths of his misconduct, describing him as someone who outwardly appeared successful but was hiding a dark secret.

Prosecutor Simon Rogers recounted that police had seized Wynne’s computer equipment and mini cameras during the 2015 search. Wynne had admitted to committing horrible acts, though he refused to comment further during police interviews. The evidence against him was overwhelming, with the images and videos found on his devices representing some of the worst forms of child abuse. The discovery of the hidden cameras in the hospital toilets, along with the footage they captured, underscored the seriousness of his crimes and the betrayal of trust involved in his actions.