STEWART MCGILL LITHERLAND SUNBED CAMERA PERVERT BANNED IN UK TANNING SHOPS

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the community, Stewart McGill, a 26-year-old man from Litherland, has been officially banned from all tanning salons across the United Kingdom following his involvement in a series of voyeuristic activities. The incident, which spanned over a year, involved McGill secretly filming women as they used sunbeds in various salons, with his actions finally coming to light in March 2008.

McGill, who is employed as an IT support worker, repeatedly visited tanning establishments in the Bootle area, where he concealed a small video camera with the intent of capturing women in states of undress. His method involved climbing onto the sunbeds themselves and peering over the top of cubicles, a tactic that allowed him to record unsuspecting victims without their knowledge. The court heard that among those targeted was a young girl aged just 12, highlighting the severity and disturbing nature of his actions.

The police investigation was triggered on March 21 when a woman, while in a Hotspot salon located on Marsh Lane in Bootle, noticed the camera and immediately screamed. Her reaction prompted her boyfriend, who was in a nearby cubicle, to pursue McGill, leading to a physical chase. During the pursuit, McGill dropped his mobile phone, which later became a crucial piece of evidence. Despite his attempt to escape, McGill returned to the salon to retrieve his car, a Renault Megane, but was intercepted by the shop owner and the woman’s boyfriend. Although he managed to evade immediate capture, the police were able to trace his vehicle and subsequently visit his residence in Penrhyn Avenue, Litherland.

At his home, officers discovered a disk containing footage of approximately 20 women, further implicating him in the voyeuristic activities. McGill admitted to visiting at least seven sunbed shops in the Bootle area over the previous year, often using his phone to record women without their consent. The court was informed that his actions were premeditated and involved careful planning, with the intent of later viewing the footage for sexual gratification.

During the court proceedings, Judge Mark Brown sentenced McGill to eight months in prison. Additionally, he was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for a period of ten years. A significant restriction was also imposed, banning McGill from entering tanning salons or any location where women might reasonably expect privacy for the next five years. Judge Brown emphasized the seriousness of McGill’s misconduct, stating, “You filmed women in various stages of undress. It is clear your purpose was to gain sexual gratification when you later viewed the film. I am satisfied your activity involved a degree of planning and certainly premeditation.”

The court heard that one of McGill’s victims was so distressed upon discovering the camera that she became hysterical and was prescribed sedatives by her doctor. The incident has left lasting trauma, with the woman now avoiding swimming and refusing to use shop changing rooms. Concerns among the victims also centered around the possibility that the footage might have been shared online, further exacerbating their distress.

McGill faced multiple charges, including six counts of voyeurism, with additional counts of making indecent photographs of a child and other related offenses taken into consideration during sentencing. He had pleaded guilty to the voyeurism charges.

In response to the sentencing, David Coles, owner of the Hotspot salon, expressed relief and support for the court’s decision. Coles, who has been in the sunbed business for over 13 years, stated, “I have run sunbed shops for years and had never encountered a problem like this before. This man was a persistent pervert. I actually gave chase to him and was dragged along by his car before we caught him. It is such a relief to know he has been stopped.”