Man convicted of taking snaps at pool
2:49pm Thursday 8th May 2008
Swimming pool staff caught a man using his mobile phone to photograph women getting changed in the next cubicle.
Afghan refugee Eshaqali Qasimi was seen on his hands and knees pointing the phone under a 7ins gap between the cubicles at Shipley Pool.
The 38-year-old was attempting to take a picture of a woman changing in the next cubicle in a mixed changing area on February 24, 2006, Bingley Magistrates were told torday.
Three days earlier staff had also spotted him taking mobile phone photographs of children at the diving board.
And on the same day, February 21, 2006, he was seen taking shots looking down into the baby pool.
Qasimi, who was living in Bradford at the time but is now resident in Bolton, failed to appear in court to face trial.
He had earlier pleaded not guilty to outraging public decency in a public place but was found guilty in his absence.
In issuing a warrant for his arrest, presiding magistrate Gordon Campbell questioned Bradford Council's policy of having mixed changing areas.
He said: "There seems to be a problem of mixed changing where people are faced with large gaps at the base of the cubicles - perhaps Bradford Council can look at this?"
In issuing the warrant Mr Campbell added: "He will be brought back here for sentence and possibly placed on the sex offenders register."
Prosecutor Liz Wright said Qasimi was observed on his hands and knees looking at people next door. Staff were concerned about his behaviour and called the police and he was arrested.
She read out a number of witness statements including that of student Marcus Sahebjam, a part-time lifeguard, who said he had received complaints from females about a man taking photographs of them while they were changing.
The man's behaviour had been pointed out to him by a fellow member of staff and he had crouched down to see what was happening.
Mr Sahebjam said: "He was on his hands and knees looking towards the cubicles and I noticed he was on a mobile phone looking towards the cubicle containing a female."
He later saw him at it again in a different changing area. "I got down low and saw him on his hands and knees again. I went and informed the manager."
Pool attendant Jonny Fallen said he observed the same man three days earlier taking photos on his mobile of children using the diving pool.
"Later in the cafe I saw him take pictures looking down on to the baby pool," he said.
He saw the same man later on February 24 enter the changing area with his mobile and acting strangely and then crouching on his hands and knees at a cubicle where a woman was getting changed.
The Bench heard that on several occasions Qasimi was told not to use the mobile phone in the pool complex because it was against the rules. But he still went ahead.
In interview at Keighley Police Station, Qasimi denied taking any photographs and blamed it on an acquaintance called Tahir who had borrowed his mobile phone.
He had met him on the street and did not know where he lived. He had made two visits to the baths when living in Bradford but did not have a permanent residence.
Miss Wright said Qasimi had been in the UK four years in February 2006 and came to live in Britain from Afghanistan as a refugee.
After the case a Bradford Council spokesman said: "The cubicles were installed in 2001 and the gap at the base is in line with current industry standards.
"We operate a tough policy in our sports centres and swimming pools, banning the use of mobile phones and other recording equipment in all areas where customers are in a state of partial or complete undress.
"This policy also applies to viewing areas such as balconies and galleries where it is inappropriate to be taking photographs without permission. We would urge people to report anyone seen taking photographs in these areas to inform the nearest member of staff immediately."